A Soft-Stone Heart
by The Mormon And Otaku
Summary: "Next: Toga." When Midnight calls my name, I stand straight up, my chest giddy but excited. I walk up to the front of the classroom, and pause for extra drama. I set up the whiteboard gently on the stand, making sure everyone can see my new name. Proudly, I say: "Shape-shifting hero, Blood Girl!"
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

I was just a normal guy with a normal life. My quirk let me stretch my arms, which didn't make me stand out, I was single, and all of my friends were normal. There's no reason that I would stand out in a crowd.

 _So why am I singled out right now?!_

Out of all the people in the world, it was me who was the victim of a robbery. A guy with a hood was choking me against a wall in an alleyway, his hand reared back to punch me again if I struggled. His quirk seemed to strengthen him in some way, because he held me in the air like I was a feather.

"Hey, I SAID to give me your wallet!"

"Urk…! I-I already told you, I don't have-!" He slams me against the wall, tightening his grip. I could barely breathe at this point.

His face was scowling, clearly getting angrier. "Don't play dumb with me! Do you wanna die?!"

His words pierce me. I couldn't scream for help, and my bones were paralyzed. _P-please, someone, anyone, save meeeeee!_

As if an answer to my plea, a high pitched voice suddenly yells, "Hey!"

"Huh?"

I look over to my right, and standing there was a girl with blonde hair. She had a sailor uniform with a sweater on top of it. The robber grumbles, "Who're you supposed to be?"

She ignores him and walks straight towards us. "Let him go now."

The guy grins and starts to mock her. "Oh? And what happens if I don't? YOU'RE gonna stop me?" He laughs at his own joke, but he doesn't let go of me.

The girl stares straight at him, unfazed. In an instant, she charges at the man with something sharp in her hands and jabs it into the robber's stomach. "Urgh!"

He lets go of me, staggering. The girl then walks up to him and kicks him to the ground.

I back away, scared. W-what _the…. Is he even alive?!_ I stutter out, "D-d-did you…. K-kill him?!"

"Eh?" She turns and looks at me, and that's when I see what she's holding in her hand.

 _A…. Needle?_

The girl waves her hand and says, "Oh, no, I didn't stab him with anything deadly. This is a tranquilizer. He'll be out cold for the next hour or so." Putting her needle back into her pocket, she holds out her arm towards me. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? O-oh, yeah! Thanks!" She pulls me up, and soon she dials the police.

While waiting, she says, "Umm, could you do me a favor and not tell the police that I was here?"

I look at her, dumbfounded. "What? Why?"

"Well, I'm late for school, and I don't want to get called into my principal's office. You know how strict schools are when it comes to villain attacks, right?"

I take a moment to consider this. _I mean, she did save me, and if she doesn't want to be bothered…._ "All right, it's a deal."

The girl smiles and says, "Thanks!" She turns around and says, "Well, I gotta get going! Take care of yourself now!"

Before she leaves, I call out to her, "Wait! At least tell me who you are!"

"Me?"

She turns around to face me, a grin on her face as she announces, "I'm Toga Himiko, hero in training!"


	2. Chapter 1: First impressions

======(Toga)======

I get up extra early today to work on my hair, humming to myself as I get prepared to go to school. _This is so exciting! Not only am I going to Yuuei, I get to talk to that boy!_ Replaying the scene in my head where he suddenly jumped and punched that huge robot, I felt like I was really standing there again. _What kind of quirk does he have? A strength quirk? An energy quirk? Nnngh, I'm dying to know!_

I thought about it relentlessly from home to throughout the train ride, unable to contain my excitement. When I finally get to school, my eyes dart around, scanning the faces of the students. _Where is he, where is he?! I HAVE to find him!_

The other students gave me weird looks, but I didn't care. All I cared about was finding that boy. _Maybe he's already in class….?_ I decide to go there, and when I turn the last corner, I see him talking with another girl and boy.

Before I could think twice, I shout out to him, "YOU!"

His head turns, his expression turning from confusion to shock as he sees me sprinting towards him at full speed.

I skid to a stop right before I run into him and quickly blurt out, "Hi! I saw you last week at the Yuuei physical entrance exams!"

"W-what….?"

Not stopping, I step closer to him, wanting to know everything about him. "What's your quirk?! How come your bones broke when you used it?! How did it destroy that thing with one punch?! Can you control your quirk? Oooh, tell me tell me tell me!"

He blushes, his eyeballs bulging. "W-w-wait a minute, slow down! W-who are you?!"

I gasp, realizing how I just invaded his personal space. I back up and apologize, "Oh, I'm sorry! I got a bit carried away there." I shortly bow. "I'm Toga Himiko!"

"H-hi…. I-I'm Izuku Midoriya…."

The girl and boy introduces themselves as well, 'Ochako' and 'Ilda.' We shake hands, and I tell them, "Nice to meet you two!"

I turn back to Izuku, still feeling a bit hyper. "Hey, remember the exams last week Izuku? When you punched the robot…." I couldn't help but squeal, "You were so cool!"

As I say this, his face turns completely red. _Oooooh, he looks like a little puppy and a teddy bear at the same time! I just wanna squeeze him!_ I squeal at his expression, which made him blush even deeper.

The moment gets interrupted though when a voice says, "Quiet down."

We look over and see a yellow sleeping bag on the ground. _That sleeping bag…. I know that M.O. anywhere._

"Good morning Mr. Aizawa!"

He responds back with a 'good morning' as he gets out of his sleeping bag. Ochako then suddenly asks, "Wait, you know each other?!"

"Yeah. He's a hero that I sometimes ran into!" I then lean in and whisper, "He likes to think he's slick!"

That comment earns me a smack to the head. "Pipe down, it's time to start class."

"Owww…. Geez, can't you take it easy for once?" I grumble as I rub my head.

As Aizawa walks into the classroom, though, I smile. No words needed to be spoken about the past, so they weren't. Instead, I walk to my seat, excited for my first day at Yuuei high!

======(Aizawa)======

I beckon my finger towards them, challenging them to go beyond. _It does sound stale to me, but it always gets people psyched up._ It's what I did every time I needed a class to go all out, and that's what I did now.

Looking over the flock of students, I was focused on three students in this physical test more than the rest of the class:

The first was Mineta. His problems were obvious: His personality is unbecoming of a hero, and his quirk pales in comparison to everyone else's. _I need to see if he can use his quirk in the right ways. Otherwise, he's not going to make it as a hero._ Still, he did manage to make it into Yuuei. If he was able to do that, then he would at least get above last place.

Next was Izuku. He was apparently a late bloomer, and his quirk seemed to strengthen his body to unimaginable levels. However, it was clear he had no control over his quirk. _I doubt that he's going to pass this. He'll probably sacrifice his arm in the ball toss. Even if he has a good heart, if he can't control his power, he may as well kiss his dream goodbye._

And finally…. Toga Himiko.

 _I never thought I'd see her again. Especially after the last incident…. I have to admit, though, she seems to have changed for the better. She even lost her old looks._ Toga managed to get through the physical exams with physical strength alone, which didn't surprise me. She was strong, probably stronger than most of the boys here. _I'm betting that she'll place within the top three at least. While others have to rely on her quirk, she relies on her physical capabilities, giving her the advantage here._

I had to watch her to see how much she's grown, and how to improve her skills. _Toga…. Show me just how much you've changed._

In the end, things went more or less how I predicted. _The only thing that surprised me was Izuku's cunningness in the ball throw._ He reflected on his mistake, then corrected it within a matter of seconds. _He clearly uses his head. If he can keep growing, then I guess he'll make a good hero._

Toga made a huge splash throughout the test. She ranked second, losing to Bakugo. _Still, it is quite impressive to see her compete with Bakugo. Hopefully they don't create a rivalry between each other…. That would be an abomination._

Glancing at my watch, I decide to take my leave of the class, letting them change back into their uniforms and get their stuff from their lockers. When I turned around the school corner, though, I see that All Might was snooping on the activity.

He went on a rant about how I expelled my last class, which I had to explain to him. _I don't get how the number 1 hero gets so hot headed all the time._

But then, right when I'm about to go back to class, he says, "So, what do you think of Toga Himiko?"

It took me by surprise. "What about her?"

"You know what I mean. She's changed."

"Hmph. We'll see…."

"Aizawa, at least give her a chance!"

"I am. But people don't change that easily, All Might. And last time I checked, she's been that way ever since grade school."

That gets him to stop talking. Finally, I walk back into the school to work on my school plans. As I do so, I glance at Toga's school profile:

 _3rd grade, started exhibiting violent behavior…. Same year, got into a fight with another student. 5th grade, she got expelled for stealing money and possessions from the students, including the teachers. And her middle school years…._

I rub my head, getting a familiar migraine. _No need to bother myself with work that's already been done._ At that time, nature called me to the bathroom, so I put the papers back into my bag and walked to the men's room.

As I did, I see my class going to their next period. I catch a glance at Toga chatting with the other girls and think to myself, _Looking at her now, you wouldn't have expected her to be so violent…._


	3. Chapter 2: Trust and Mistrust

===(Toga)===

I was having fun for my first day of Yuuei so far. The physical trials that Aizawa put us through were fun, and good exercise. It was cool to see everybody using their quirks in different ways, and it was even cooler when Izuku used his quirk in the ball throw. _He beat that explosive guy's score using only his fingertip! Izuku's so awesome and strong!_ Of course, the explody guy wasn't happy about that, and even tried to attack him. He got on my nerves, and I hoped that we wouldn't have to talk to each other much, if at all.

Still, I couldn't let him dappen my first day at school, and things got better when All Might himself announced how we were going to have combat training! As a bonus, we got to wear our hero suits, which I had been DYING to wear.

Thinking about the training, I realize that I really wanted to see how well the others fought, and how hard my fight would be. _I guess some habits stick no matter what…._

Before that thought could dampen my mood a second time today, All Might tells us to go change and meet in a training area where we would be at for the period. I hastily grab my suit, and when we arrived at the locker room, I check it to see if it was made how I wanted it to be:

The first thing I noticed about it was that it had a scaly feeling and texture to it, which was nice, but I was more concerned about the design. I wasn't disappointed though. The top half was white with a red stripe that formed a tie around my neck, along with the shoulders being blue. From my feet to underneath my belly button was colored blue also, and if you looked at it, it looked like a sailor uniform printed on a piece of paper. _It may not be like the one I have at home, but it's good enough._ When I put it on, it felt nice and slick against my skin. Examining myself in the mirror, I found it to be stylish and pretty cute. _If this were a grade, I'd give it an 'A double plus!'_

When we all went outside, I ended up staring at Izuku's costume. His costume obviously resembled All Might, from his pointy hair to his signature smile. He must really idolize him. _But more than that, it's so cute! It's like I'm looking at a baby in a halloween outfit!_

Looking around, I see Ochako. I run up to her, admiring her outfit. "Hey Ochako! Your outfit looks cute!"

She blushes, her hand running furiously against her helmet. "T-thanks. I don't like how it's skin-tight though…."

"Don't worry about it! If you don't comment on it, no one will!"

"Gee, thanks. That does make me feel better. But doesn't clothes being a bit showy bother you?"

"Me?" I glance at my suit. "Not really. In all honesty, if something feels comfortable wearing, I'll pretty much wear anything." _Although I can't say that it helps my fashion sense…._

"Oh. So does it do anything as gear?"

Right when I'm about to answer, I suddenly hear a squeal. When I look, I see Izuku standing there, his mouth hanging open.

He stood with a blush, probably because it was showing off my figure. _Awww, so cute! How come everything he does makes him seem so innocent!_

Even so, he comments, "That suit….! It's designed to shape into clothes for people who have morphing quirks!"

"Wo~ow, you sure know your stuff Izuku! You're right, this suit's made specifically for my quirk."

Ochako asks, "What is your quirk? Can you turn into an animal?"

I laugh. "I wish! But no. My quirk is 'Transform.'"

"Transform?" Izuku chirps in. "That means when you ingest someone's blood, you can turn into them!"

I stare at him Izuku when he says that. "Izuku, are you some kind of hero geek?"

I only meant it as a tease, but then he blushes and looks away bashfully. "Y-yeah, I am. Sorry if I creeped you out. When I see something hero related, I can't help but comment about it."

"I-Izuku…." _Nnnnngh…. Cuteness. Meter. Maximum!_

I decide to tell Ochako my quirk's 'weakness,' since Izuku already told her what my quirk was and would probably look into it. "A phenomenon about my quirk is that I wear the clothes of the person at the time when the blood was drawn. However, when I change back, my clothes disappear."

As I say this, I shoot Izuku a look. He quickly gets flustered, his hands flying from side to side. "W-w-why are y-you looking at me like that?!"

I try to not laugh, but I couldn't help it. "I'm just teasing you Izuku. You're so innocent and easy to tease!" He calms down after that, and I continue, "As he said, this suit takes care of that problem."

Ochako's mouth drops open, her eyes glittering. "That's so cool! Good for you!"

I grin, relishing in her praise. "Heh heh, thanks!"

As we laugh, All Might calls us. He shortly explains about how we'll be reinacting a 'hero vs. villian' situation. _So we'll be in teams…. Ooooh, I hope I get paired with Izuku or Ochako!_

All Might grabs two slips of paper and says, "Group A heroes: Izuku and Toga! Villains: Bakugo and Ilda!"

I squeal with glee, excited to be with Izuku. However, when I look at All Might's face, he seemed…. Uneasy? _What's up with him? Is something wrong here?_

I don't get the chance to ask since he continues to read off names. _I wonder what that was about…._

===(All Might)===

 _10 minutes earlier…._

Aizawa called me and Midnight to his classroom, saying that he had something important to tell us.

It wasn't even 5 seconds after we got there when he said, "For your hero combat training, I want Toga to be on the hero team automatically."

Midnight was the first to speak out. "Is this about her behavior when she was in middle school?! We can't just treat her like a criminal forever!"

"Besides," I chime in, "This is unfair to the other students who want to be on the hero side."

"I know. However, if she ends up getting picked as a villain, she'll think back on her old violent streaks, which in turn will hinder her performance in the training."

What he said made sense, and I couldn't disagree. "B-but still-"

"You don't have to listen to me. In the end, it's your activity. I was just here to make a suggestion."

He then walks away, leaving me and Midnight looking at each other uncomfortably.

"S-so, All might…. Do you think that we should enlist her name as a hero?"

"I…."

===(Toga)===

It was a few minutes before we were supposed to start the training. Izuku told me a bit about Bakugo's quirk, and we tried to make a strategy. _Although…._

"Hey Izuku?"

He stops talking and replies, "What is it Toga?"

"Why do you keep calling Bakugou 'Kacchan?'"

"Oh!" He looks down, his expression turning sour. "He…. He and I used to be childhood friends."

"Wait…." I sputter, "You and him used to be _friends_?!"

"W-well, it wasn't that he wanted to be friends with me. I looked up to him. He was always fearless and daring…. Even if he wasn't nice to me, I couldn't help but admire him."

I take his words into consideration. "So, Bakugo was still mean to you as a kid, but his spirit made you want to be buddies with him?"

"I guess you could put it that way."

Izuku then got up and stretched, psyching himself up for what's about to come. But I sat down still, reflecting over his words about how he still wanted to be around Bakugo, even though he was a total jerk to him. _Maybe that's why they stuck around me…._

 _The challenger this time was a boy in a middle school uniform. At first I didn't believe that a kid would be stupid enough to try and join us, much less seek us out in some greasy alley. But when he threatened to rat us out to the police if we didn't accept his challenge, I knew he was serious. In that moment, his eyes were full of ambition._

 _That was also the same moment his fate was sealed._

 _It wasn't uncommon for me to be the one who fought the challenger, but I didn't usually fight against ones who were clearly no match for me. Today, however, I was in a bad mood, and needed to take it out on someone._

 _That boy was the perfect volunteer._

 _He didn't even last a full minute. I beat him to the ground, pounding on his face and torso with my fists and knife._

 _His face and chest was now covered in cuts and bruises, which was a good makeover if you asked me. Spitting on his face, I snarl, "Is that seriously the best you got?! I thought you said you were gonna make me cry like a baby!"_

" _N-ngh…." His face contorted from his cockiness that he had over a minute ago to fear. I would've laughed if it didn't piss me off so much._

 _I grab his collar and said, "You better not ever try again to get into MY gang with your pathetic so called 'strength!'" I then headbutted him, and uppercutted his jaw. He flies to the ground, and when he doesn't move, I know that he's knocked out. "Hmph…."_

 _I look back at my flunkies and shout, "You all better remember that this will be you if you ever drag me down! You hear me?" They all respond with a 'yes ma'am,' as they usually do._

 _The gang leaves before someone notices us and calls the cops. Still, I take the time to leave my gang's sign etched into the kid's body. It was only standard protocol to let others know who was the one responsible for this so that no one else stole the credit._

 _Drawing out my special knife that I only use to carve my gang's sign into people, I skillfully carve the letters D and B, and make a jagged circle around it. I had gotten so good at making the mark after so many times that it was as easy as breathing. Plus, I loved taking a moment to admire the shine of blood that oozed out of the person's body after they were beaten to a pulp when I was done._

 _I get up and mutter, "This is what happens when you mess with Dead Blood."_

"Toga…. Toga!"

Izuku's voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I see that he was waving his hand in front of my face. "Toga, it's time for us to go!"

"O-oh, sorry. I was lost in thought." I get up, shaking the memory away. "Anyways, let's get going!"

As I walk towards the building, though, Izuku asks, "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

"No, no, I'm fine, really! But thanks for worrying about me."

He looks at me for a few seconds, then nods with contempt. "Okay then."

However, as we scale into the building, I can't help but think back to that memory. _Back then, they used to praise my strength when I beated other people up, and my rebellious attitude for not giving a crap about rules. Thinking about it, that may be the reason why they always stuck by me, even when I abused them._

I didn't like remembering about my old self, so I slap my cheeks and try to focus on the mission. _We need to either capture the villains, or touch the nuke to deactivate it. Just remember the plan that we discussed Toga! Transform into Izuku, and look for the nuke._

Izuku takes off one of his gloves, though he looked a bit scared. "Sorry, Izuku. We don't have to do this, y'know."

He shakes his head. "No. We'll be fighting the villains, so a little cut will be nothing compared to the bruises I'll get. Besides…." Underneath his helmet, he smiles. "We're a team. I trust you, and you trust me."

"!" His words take me aback. _A team…._ My gang wasn't ever a team. It was like a ladder with people who either climbed over each other to reach the top, or kicked others down to prevent them from taking their spot. I could feel my chest tightening, and I bite my lip to make sure that I don't accidently get teary-eyed. Finally, I look up and smile back, "Yeah. A team."

I take out my knife and try to make the smallest cut I possible could. Izuku winces, but he told me that it was fine. Carefully, I lift the blade up to my mouth and suck on it to avoid accidentally cutting my lip or tongue.

When I taste it, though, I feel a static run through my mouth. For some reason, whenever I consumed blood, I could feel 'taste.' Everybody's blood had a different flavor to them, most of them tasting bitter. But Izuku's blood tasted sweet! I licked my lips, and I found myself craving more….

However, Izuku's voice snaps me out of my trance. "Toga, are you okay? Your face is flushed."

"Oh, sorry! It's just that your blood was…." I felt embarrassed, too embarrassed to tell him that I enjoyed tasting his blood. "Never mind, I'll transform now."

Thankfully, he leaves it at that, allowing me to concentrate on the image of Izuku. I could feel my body's shape morphing into his figure, and soon after the process stopped. He stares at me, looking weirded out but also transfixed. "Wow…. This is so weird!"

I talk with Izuku's voice, "Yeah, definitely." No matter how many times I shapeshift, I always play around with my voice.

Unfortunately, I didn't have that luxury at the moment. Izuku says, "Let's split up. I'll look around the upper floors while you look on the middle floors."

"Got it!" We then go our separate ways to search for the nuke.

At first, I jog around the floor to cover more ground, but after about a minute or two, I hear footsteps running towards me. I turn my head and see Bakugo charging towards me, and I barely manage to dodge his explosion in time.

He twists his head towards me, his expression dripping with rage. He growls, "Deku…."

 _Deku? Is that some sort of nickname he gave him?_ I don't respond to him, instead getting into a fighting stance. _Izuku said that he'll chase him down to fight him, so I should try to convince him that I'm Izuku so he'll chase after me. That means I can't use my knife, and I have to call him Kacchan._

Bakugo comes at me again, swinging his arm towards my face. I duck it, and uppercut him in his stomach. It stuns him, so I take advantage and kick him away from me.

However, he glares at me with a burning fire within his eyes. His mouth was drooling, making him look like a starving lion staring at it's prey. It sickened me. "You…. DEKUUUUU!" He charges at me again, using his explosions to speed towards me. I wait for him to attack, looking for my cue to dodge.

This time, he shoots out his hand from behind him. _He's going to shoot at me!_ One would normally block, but I was an experience fighter. I roll underneath him, causing him to soar over my head. It surprises him, I tell, as he stumbles when he lands on the ground with an unexpected landing. I then start running from him, hoping he'll keep chasing me.

As I look behind me to see if he was catching up, I turn on my earpiece that we were given beforehand. I make sure to pretend that I was actually Izuku, in case Bakugo could hear me, "Toga! Kacchan found me! Have you found the nuclear weapon yet?"

Izuku responds, "Yeah, I found the room. It's on the third floor next to a flight of stairs. Distract Bakugo, I'll take care of this!"

"Roger!"

I intentionally slow down my pace, making sure that Bakugo would know where I was. He was on my tail, shouting out curses the entire time. "STOP RUNNING YOU STUPID-!"

Suddenly, I stop hearing explosions. Confused, I stop running as well. I hear his voice talk back to Ilda, "What're you spouting about four eyes? Deku's in front of me!"

 _Uh-_

The plan for me to fake being Izuku crashes as I started hearing his explosions go in a different direction. I quickly tell Izuku, "Bakugo found me out! He's heading towards you!"

"Hang on!"

Suddenly, I hear a loud crashing sound, and the building shakes. _Did he use his quirk?_

As I keep heading towards upstairs, I hear All Might's voice shout into my earpiece, "The training's over! The hero team has won!"

 _We…. We won?_ I jump up and shout, "Yay! We did it!" I turn on my earpiece and gleefully say, "Izuku, did you hear him? We won!"

"Nngh…. Y-yeah, we did it! We- *Kssh!*" Izuku's voice gets cut off suddenly.

"...Izuku?" A lump forms in my throat when he doesn't answer back.

All Might's voice comes back on, his voice completely panicked. "Bakugo, stop right now! The training's over!"


	4. Chapter 3: A Shattered Dream

**Quick note: Parenthesis, ( ), in flashbacks is the character's thoughts.**

===(Bakugo)===

I was dumbstruck when I walked in the room and saw not only the wall in pieces, but an entire line of buildings from across the street in shambles.

And it all came from…. Deku! _Useless, no good, quirkless Deku!_

My body moves without thought, anger and rage moving my bones. I lunge at Deku, tackling him to the ground. When I do, I start pounding my fists into his face. I didn't care that the battle was already over, I didn't care that All Might was shouting in my ear, I didn't care!

 _Why…._

I hit his cheek with a left hook.

 _I don't understand…. Why…._

"Ngh! K-Kacchan, the training's over! Stop-"

I drive my fist into his stomach, making him gasp for air.

 _I'm more powerful than anyone…. I'm better than everyone here, especially you!_

He tries pushing me off with his left arm, so I slam my fist into his left shoulder, killing his resilience.

 _So why…._

 _WHY DID YOU USE YOUR QUIRK ON FOUR EYES INSTEAD OF ME?!_

I scream his nickname, over and over, demanding an answer. Even though he couldn't possibly know what I was thinking, I kept wanting an answer. Tears and spit started to spill from my face, but I couldn't stop them from spilling.

I didn't want to admit that his quirk might be leagues above my own. I didn't want to admit that he was finally standing up to me. I didn't want to admit that he was no longer just a pebble in my path. But most of all….

I didn't want to admit that I felt intimidated when I saw the broken buildings across from me.

===(Toga)===

Somehow, even though I was heading up to the 3rd floor when Bakugo went wild, Midnight gets to Bakugo and Izuku before I do. She used her quirk to knock out Bakugo, along with Izuku so he wouldn't have to keep feeling pain. Apparently, their punishment for Bakugo was scoring a 0 on the training, and a full day in-school suspension.

Of course, the other students didn't seem okay with just that.

After school, the class was still chatting about it. Ashido seemed to be the most pissed of them all. "How can they just let Bakugo off the hook like that?! He was beating another student, and all he has is a low grade and an in-school suspension?!"

Momo chimes in, "Getting a 0 at Yuuei will be looked at very poorly when going into a hero agency. Plus, I heard stories about an in-school suspension here. Apparently it's even harder than the SAT's at a top notch school."

Ashido sputters, "B-but still, don't you think it's not punishing enough?" She then looks at me and asks, "Toga, what do you think?"

Her question takes me by surprise. Still, I think about it, and finally answer, "Bakugo seems to have a short temper, and I hate what he did to Izuku, but in the end, he's still a person. Everybody deserves a second chance. Shouldn't we help him as heroes instead of treating him like a villain?"

When I say this, everybody looks down, shame and guilt on their faces. Ashido speaks up first. "You're right Toga. I…. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry."

Eijiro joins in, standing up and shouting, "You're right Toga! We need to have more faith in him as classmates!"

Everyone seems to cheer up, which makes me happy. But I look down at my desk, thinking about Ashido's question. _Faith in your classmates…._

 _The english teacher throws chalk at me again, which I dodge. At this point it was more of a routine than a wake up call._

 _He growls with his usual glare, "Toga! Pay attention!"_

I give him a, "Humph," and lean my head on my hand. I didn't care about getting bad grades, and he knew it.

 _Still, he asked me, "Answer the question: What is the social structure of society?"_

(The social structure?) I lean back in my chair, kick my feet up onto the desk, and say, "A total joke."

His eyes narrow, and he seems to get ready to throw more chalk, but instead replies, "Explain your reasoning."

(My reasoning? Is he taking this seriously?) I blurted that out because I wanted him to ask another student the question and leave me alone, but I decided to throw him a bone for once.

" _People think that heroes are the good guys, and villains are the bad guys, but what do they know? I've seen plenty of society's so called 'heroes' who only care about fortune and fame. They don't care about helping people, they just want the profit." The teacher's expression loosens a bit, surprised that I was actually participating in the lesson. I could feel everybody's eyes on me, interested in what I had to say._

 _Grinning internally, I continue, "But what about the, quote on quote, 'bad guys?' All they're doing is trying to make a living."_

When I say that, he barks back, "What kind of reasoning is that, Toga? Villains are people who have no respect for the law or the people, resorting to using their quirks to cause chaos!"

" _..." I put my feet down and stand up, and say in a more serious tone, "What do you know about villains? Villains are people with a label given to them by self-righteous, lazy people like you! You call them villains, but what if they have a family? What if they can't get a job and are forced into a life of crime? You want to know the social structure of society, well I'll tell you what it is! The social structure is where you play as a puppet, forced to do what the people wants, be a good person, be a selfless hero, when in reality the word 'hero' has lost all it's meaning when people who need help are ignored!"_

 _My words sits in silence, the entire class speechless. Even the 'ice-cold' english teacher is at a loss for words._

 _Satisfied, I sit back down in my seat, patiently waiting for the call to the principal's office._

 _It wasn't long until the call for me came. When it happened, the principal asked me about my belief about heroes and villains, which I then repeated what I said in the class. After that, he recommended that I go these 'hero discussions group.' The group talked about their experiences with heroes and try to help others see 'the good in heroes.'_

 _(Blah blah blah, I don't care.)_

As soon as I walked out of the room, I threw away the pamphlet. (If people really cared, they would go to them, not the other way around.)

 _When I start walking away, I hear someone call out my name. Turning around, I saw that it was some girl that I didn't recognize. I growl at her, "Whaddya want?"_

 _She flinches at my voice, and for a sec I think that she's going to run away. But she looks at me straight in my eyes and says, "I-I was in your class in english. I heard your speech."_

" _Speech?" I considered it as me talking down to the teacher, but thinking about it, it did seem to be some sort of speech. "What about it?"_

" _I…. I just…." The suddenly bows down to me. "I just wanted to thank you!"_

Her words confuse me. "What?"

She stands straight up again and scratches her cheek. "My parents were poor, and they had to steal to pay for my schooling. They were arrested for that, but they were just trying to help their daughter!" Her eyes flares, and she looks at me like I was some sort of hero. "Not many people stand up to society's rules, but you did! Just know that if anyone talks bad about you, I'll have your back!"

(W-wait, she thinks…. I actually….)

I burst out laughing, unable to believe that this was actually happening right now. The girl just stands there, uncertain of what to do. When my laughing fit dies down, I ask her, "Can you keep a secret?"

She eagerly nods. I put my right hand on her shoulder and say, "I didn't say any of that because I believed it."

I watch as her expression goes from eager to shock in an instant. She says with a squeaky voice, "W-what do you mean?"

I sadistically grin at her. "I don't care about how villains are treated, and I don't care if heroes get away with crimes. I don't care about your parents or if they were justified in stealing. I just said that to watch the teacher's expression on his face."

Her breath and body shakes, her eyes now filled with despair. She collapses onto her knees, her eyes tearing up. Seeing her like this, I couldn't help but mock, "Awww, I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings?"

 _She doesn't respond, instead staring blankly at me. Still grinning, I walk past her. As I do, I tell her, "Let me give you some advice: Don't care about anything. If you don't, then nothing will hurt you."_

(That's probably the realist advice she'll ever get with that sob story of hers. Everyone else will just give her pity and meaningless words of comfort.)

Walking away, I think back to the teacher's words: "Villains are people who have no respect for the law or the people, resorting to using their quirks to cause chaos!"

 _I grin to myself. (You're more wise than you know, teach.)_

I sigh as that memory surfaces in my brain. _I eventually learned that girl's name: Saiekie Higashi. She had brown hair, about as tall as me._ A while ago, I looked into her profiles at her old schools. She was sweet to everyone, even if some kids were mean to her. Everyone loved her, but was most recognized for her optimism. She believed that everyone could be a good person, and she wanted to be a hero and create world peace.

But I unknowingly shattered her dreams that day. _Now she's-_

"Hey Toga!" A voice rings in my ear, making me jump. As I look, I see that it was Ochako. "We're leaving now."

Jirou walks up to me and asks, "Are you alright? You were staring off into space."

I rub my head, embarrassed. "Y-yeah, I am. I was just thinking about some things." I stand up and grab my bag, ready to leave when I remember something that I had to do. "By the way, do any of you know where All Might is?"

===(All Might)===

After the stern talk I had with Izuku about telling Bakugo my secret, I let him off the hook, going to the teacher's lounge to grab my things. _I have about 10 minutes left…. I might be able to catch one more villain before going home for the day._ When all my things are in my bag, I walk out of the room, ready to go home for the day.

However, a familiar voice stops me from running back into town. I turn around and see Toga standing there. "Hello Ms. Himiko! Is there something that you need from me?"

She gives a stern look, her hands on her hips. "Did you rig my name so that I'd be picked as a hero?"

I jolt, sweat beading down my face. I try to keep my voice stable and play it off. "W-what're you talking about?"

Toga sighs. "Your expression when you read out my name. It was similar to the face you're giving me now."

"Ah! I, uh…." _Dang…. I need to seriously start practicing working on my expression skills._ "You're correct. I thought that you wouldn't be able to be comfortable if you were picked as a villain." I intentionally leave Aizawa out, not wanting her to think that I was putting the blame on him.

"...Okay."

Her being casual about this surprises me. "Eh?"

She smiles. "I'm not mad at you. I'm actually happy that you did so. I enjoyed being part of the hero team, even though it was just a roleplay."

I sigh in relief, happy to hear that she wasn't mad at me. "T-thank you Toga-"

"However," Toga interrupts, "I need you to trust me here on out. If I'm going to be a hero, I need to be treated just like everyone else."

"Oh, o-of course! I understand."

"...Though, I don't blame you for what you did."

"What?"

She shifts her gaze away from me, her face sad. "I'm still trying to make up for all the things that I did, but I'm not sure if I can be the same caliber at all the other students. Compared to them, I'm just a hypocrite to what this school stands for…."

When she says this, I realize what my decision for the training had just done. I say to her gently, "Toga…. I must apologize."

"No, you don't need to. I understand-"

"No Toga. What I did was more of hypocrisy than what you might think."

She blinks, looking confused. "Huh?"

"I…. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I didn't trust you. Me, the number one hero, the symbol of peace, doubted you when you have clearly displayed that you have changed for the better." I bow my head down to her. "I am truly, truly sorry. Would you ever forgive me?"

"A-All Might…." As I keep my head bowed down, I feel her pat my back. Inclined to look, I lean my face up and see her smiling. "Thank you. It means a lot to hear you believe in me."

With my heart feeling triumphant, I stand straight up again. "Toga, I swear to never doubt you again. I'll trust that you will be an amazing hero."

She gives me a toothy grin. "It's a promise!"

Toga then leaves. I felt refreshed, and I head out back into the city to get home. Going there, I think about the times that I met Toga, and how she is now. _Even though she wasn't always a great person, I can see her being an inspiration to the next generation of heroes._

Humming to myself, I dash back home to get my schoolwork done.

===(Saiekie)===

 _It would be months before I talked to Toga again._

 _She had already started her gang long before I went to talk to her, though I can't remember exactly when. Each day when class was over, she would always be the first to leave._

 _Today, however, I stood in front of the door, blocking her way. She growled, "Move," in an unamused voice._

 _I replied, "Meet me on the roof at lunch. I need to talk to you." She gives me a questioning look, but I leave before I piss her off, if not more so._

 _When lunch rolled around, Toga appeared on the roof. I half expected her not to show up, but I wasn't going to complain._

 _Toga sounded annoyed when she spoke. "If you're gonna waste my time, then you better just say it before I-"_

I blurt out, "I want to join your gang."

" _...What?" My words take her by surprise, considering her expression. "Wait, you're saying that you want to join Dead Blood?"_

Dead Blood. Just thinking about that title made me shiver, but I nodded. She walks up to me, looking at me curiously. "You know what you're asking, right?"

" _I am." I say with a nod._

" _And you know about our…. Initiation?"_

I've only heard rumors about it, so I didn't exactly know what it was going to be like, but I knew what an initiation was. It was when a gang tests you, mostly beating you up, to see if you're strong enough to join them. I respond, "I've been training."

" _..." Toga gets even closer to me, now standing within inches of my face. "Why do you want to join Dead Blood?"_

" _Because…. I…." I take in a deep breath, then say, "When you told me that you only made that speech to the english teacher to see his expression, it made me realize how weak I am. All I'm good for is getting pity from people." I clutch my fist angrily. "I don't want that anymore! No one's willing to help me as an equal!" (Even though it's a gang that hurts people…. They can help me become stronger. I HAVE to do this!)_

" _You…. Snrk!" She suddenly bursts out into a maniacal laughter, clutching her stomach. "You're a real riot, hahahaha!"_

" _W…. What?"_

When she stops, she gives me a glare. "Do you know why I call my gang Dead Blood?"

I didn't know, so I shook my head. "It's because we gave up hope. No one cares about us, not heroes, and certainly not people. To them, we're just sacks of meat in clothes that can walk." She reaches into her pocket, and slowly pulls out a knife. Scared, I take a step back. Toga takes a step forward. "But because of that, we're free to do whatever we want. Take things from people, abuse people, hurt people…. We can have fun doing the things that society can't."

 _My back hits the fence, while Toga looks at me like a predator about to kill it's prey. "If you really want to join my gang so bad, you're gonna have to do more than just survive an initiation: You have to give up all hope of redemption." She suddenly holds out the knife, her face looking expectant. "Cut yourself."_

Her question shocks me. "W-what?"

" _Cut the Dead Blood symbol into your arm." She says casually. "It's the initials of Dead Blood with a jagged circle around it."_

I slump onto the ground. I knew what she was asking me to do, but what was even worse was that I was considering this! (N-no, I shouldn't do this….)

 _A boy mocks,_ " _ **Ha! Give up on being a hero! Your parents were thieves, you could never be a hero!"**_

 _(I have people who can help me…. Friends….)_

 _A girl pushes me to the ground at lunch._ " _ **You're so weak! All everybody does for you is pity you because you look at them with puppy eyes! Is there anything you CAN do?"**_

 _(I can change! I can be a hero!)_

 _I grab the knife, carving the symbol into my arm. The pain is insufferable, and it makes me scream. I drop the knife, again and again, but each time I drop it, I pick it back up. Even though my mind is shouting to stop, I don't._

 _Toga sadistically smiles the entire time, not moving an inch. Her giggles was like a pinch on my heart, slowly getting more painful with each giggle._

 _When I was finally done, both of my arms collapse to my side, throbbing. I was sobbing, the pain making my vision bleak. Toga leans down and picks the knife back up. She then grabs my body and lifts me up. I was surprised by how easily she was carrying me, and also confused why was doing so._

 _As if she could read my mind, she said, "We're going to the nurse's office. She ain't in there during lunch, so we can clean your cuts in peace."_

 _She turns her head towards mine, a big grin on her face. "You're going to have good times with Dead Blood, Saiekie Higashi."_


	5. Intermission

**I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I have no excuses. I slacked off on this story, but I'm going to work harder to update more often. I really want to finish this story, and I hope you'll stick with it until the end too. The next chapter will be made before sunday, so look forward to it!**

 **(Sorry again.)**


	6. Chapter 4: Unexpected friends

**I made the deadline! I'm uploading at like 11:30, but it's within the deadline! Thank you so much for being patient. I really appreciate your understanding.**

 **I promise from now on I'll upload this story every twelve days, since I have a lot of things on my plate. I won't rush on getting my stories done like I'm doing now so that it'll be much better quality than this might be.**

 **Anyways, no more delays. Here's the long awaited chapter!**

===(Izuku)===

Ochako gasped. "Wait, you mean to tell me that you have thirteen notebooks completely filled with details about heroes?!"

I blush at her comment. "W-well, only twelve of them are completely filled. I'm still working on the thirteenth one…."

Toga gasps and says, "Woooow, that's so amazing! You're awesome Izuku!"

"W-w-what?" I stutter, my tongue completely numb. My face was burning, and I can feel my heartbeat against my chest. She giggled, along with Ochako and Ilda.

 _Still…. Even though this is embarrassing, they're laughing with me, not at me._ It felt refreshing to have friends. Everyone else that I knew kept making fun of my quirklessness.

… _..Like Kacchan._

I think back to the first day of Yuuei, during the combat training. _When Kacchan kept hitting me, I was scared. I thought that he was angry that he lost, but his face…. He looked so distraught._ I could only speculate what he was thinking, and my best guess is that he thought that I looked at him as an inferior, and hid my quirk for all these years from him. _I couldn't bear the thought of him not knowing for these years at Yuuei._ Even though I knew that I couldn't spill the beans about All Might's secret, there was a part of me that had to tell him.

Still, I found myself questioning if that was the right thing to do. Would he find out All Might's secret? Would he tell someone what I had said to him? There were so many things telling me that what I did was wrong, and even now my hands were shaking.

However, in my train of thought, the security alarm blared.

 _A villain attack?! How did they get through the security system?!_ Everybody panics, quickly running to the exit doors. I try to stay clear of the students to avoid getting pushed, but find that it was impossible in this situation. Me, Ochako, and Ilda get stuck in the mosh pit, people pushing and bumping into one another.

… _.Wait._ Straining my neck, I look around. When I don't see her, I panic even more.

 _Where's Toga?!_

===(Toga)===

When the alarm sounded, everybody was heading towards the doors.

However, I made my way to a window and opened it. Climbing out, I quickly run to the school gate, my hand hovering over my knife. _I'm sure that the teachers will be able to handle any threat, but…._

 _!_

As I turn a corner, I skid to a halt. A man stood there, looking like a grandparent expecting a visit from their grandchildren. However, this man was a thousand times more dangerous than any grandparent could be. With a childlike demeanor, he stood with his arms open. _The successor for the league of villains…._

Tomura Shigaraki.

He smiled, looking happy to see me. "Toga-chan! It's been so long!"

Growling at him, I maliciously say, "I should've expected you."

"Awww, is that how you greet an old friend?" He pouts, being as childish as ever.

"You're not my friend."

"Don't lie." Shigaraki takes a step closer to me, and I see his fingers twitch. "We were best buds! Partners in crime!"

I grab my knife and point it at him. "I'm not going to let you escape."

"Why? Because you're pretending to be a hero?"

"I'm not pretending!" I shout, a bit louder than I wanted to. Quickly, I glance around to see if anybody heard. When I saw that we were still alone, I say more calmly, "You're a villain. You commit crimes, and you've killed tons of people."

He says with a gleeful voice, "That's why we get along so well!" Taking a few more steps toward me, he continues, "We used to hang out, cut people up for exercise."

"Stop."

"I remember how you guzzled their blood like beer. You always stared at it before you drank it, though."

"I said, stop!" My voice comes out shaky, but I stand my ground.

"You told me how you can taste flavor when drinking blood, along with what flavors you loved the most." He keeps going on, his smile growing wider and wider. "You love blood that tastes sour, creamy, and juicy. On special occasions, we'd hunt down people with those flavors of blood."

When he steps within reach of my knife, I swing at him, knowing that he'll block my attack. _We sparred a lot, learning how we fight. He'll use his backhand to stop my arm, and then-_

' _*Shink!*"_

"What?!" I exclaim as Shigaraki lets my knife cut across his chest. He hisses, but still smiles.

"You thought that I would block that, right? Of course you did. We used to spar whenever we greeted each other."

"Grrr…." I jump back, racking my brain of what to do. "What's your goal here? Are you trying to get hostages? Information?!"

"What? No, no. Not right now, anyways. What I'm here for is much important than that."

"Oh?" That made me curious. Normally, he'd be monologuing about whatever was on his mind. It was rare for him to be fixated on a goal so seriously. _I have a feeling that I'm going to find out why._

Shigaraki looks at me with a solemn expression on his face. Slowly, he says, "I'm here for you, Toga."

"...What?" His reply takes me off guard. It sounded stupid, and entirely unreasonable.

Which meant that it probably was his goal.

I spit at him, "I was never in the league of villains, and never will be!"

"That's not what I mean, Toga. We were friends once!" He pauses for a few moments. "...I miss those days."

"Yeah, well I don't!"

I dash at him and attack, swiftly swinging my knife. He starts to dodge and block this time. However, he didn't look happy. "Toga, I'm not here to fight you! Just listen to me!"

"Will you just shut up already?! I'm not interested in listening to your nonsense!"

After a while, I manage to get another cut on him, this time across his stomach. He staggers a little bit, looking irritated. Still, to my surprise, he kept his cool. "I'm telling you Toga, I'm not here to hurt you! If you'd just-"

"Shigaraki." When I say his name, he shuts up, looking at me hopefully. "I'm not the same person that I used to be. I've changed for the better. You, though…. You haven't changed a bit."

"Huh...? W-what're you saying Toga?"

"You still don't get it?" I sigh. _I should've expected him to not get it._ "Shigaraki, you're not my friend anymore."

"!" His face twists, looking hurt. I ignore it, though.

Getting back into my fighting stance, I say, "I'm done with you. You'd better leave now if you know what's good for you!"

"Toga…. Huh?" All of a sudden, a pool of purple appears next to Shigaraki. It was Kurogiri. _If I remember correctly, he can make portals to teleport people._

Kurogiri grabs Shigaraki's arm. "We're out of time. We need to leave now!"

"Wait! I'm not done yet!" He tries yanking out of his grip, but to no avail.

"I'm sorry, but we have no choice! Now c'mon!"

"No! Let go of me! I have to-" His voice gets cut off, the portal closing on them.

After a few seconds, I realized that I was holding my breath, and that my knees were shaking. I was in a panic. _The league wouldn't just come here for me. They probably got information too! But what about?_

Before I could think about it some more, I hear a familiar voice call out my name. I look, and see that it was Izuku. "Izuku?"

"*Pant! Gasp!* Are you alright? You just suddenly disappeared when the alarm went off!"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

He sighs in relief. "Thank goodness. I thought that something bad had happened to you."

His words makes my face heat up. "A-anyways, is everybody okay?"

"Yeah. It turns out that the reporters from earlier today managed to get onto school grounds, which set off the alarms."

"Ah, I see." _So Shigaraki used it as a diversion. Though I doubt it was him who made that plan, it worked._ "Anyways, we better head back. I'm sure that Aizawa's going to be pissed…."

===(Shigaraki)===

I wanted to put all my fingers on his arm to force him to let go of me, but I knew that it would just lead to more trouble. When we get back to the bar, I slap him with my backhand. "Take me back right now!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't. The pros would snuff us out-"

"Kurogiri." A voice calls out.

Sensei's voice.

I yank out of his grip, still angry. "Sensei, you have to let me go back!"

"I cannot. Not at this time, at least. If you go back now, the pros will know that we've been there-"

"I DON'T CARE!" I slam my fists against the bar counter, tempted to turn it into dust. My anger suddenly fades as I remember Toga's words:

" _I've changed._

 _You're not my friend anymore, Shigaraki."_

My knees shake, and I notice that I'm gasping. "...Toga…. Why?"

"...Kurogiri, could you leave us for a moment?"

He bows. "Of course. I'll be reviewing the data we stole."

In an instant, he leaves, leaving me and sensei in the bar.

Sighing, I sit on one of the stools. "Sensei…. I don't get it."

"Get what, exactly?"

"Toga Himiko….. We used to see each other every day. Even though she was running a gang, she kept coming to see us. To see me."

"I know that she's your best friend."

"Not just best friends…. We were family."

"Yes….. She's irreplaceable to me, just as you are."

I raise my brow. It was rare for sensei to regard anyone as highly as he did to me. "But then it happened….. _**All Might stole her from us!**_ " My anger bubbled up again, threatening to explode. _Everything is always his fault. No one gives a second thought to his actions. Instead, they revere him as a king, a savior to this world!_ I clench my fists, wanting to punch something.

Sensei, still with his ever calm voice says, "Do you know why the world praises heroes?"

"I know, I know. You've told me a billion times: The norm of today is corrupted with delusions and false promises." I recite.

"That is indeed a part of it. But it's more than that."

"What?" This was a first. Curiously, I look at the staticy tv.

"Heroes are praised because people believe that villains are there to only hurt. Heroes hurt villains, and think that it's the right thing. But do they ever consider the villain's circumstances, and how they came to be that way?"

"No…."

"That's right. They don't. I've faced persecution for my actions for a long, long time. But even through all these years, not a single person that's part of the society norm asked why villains do what they do. People are convinced that they don't need to think about it, and thus, a cycle of ignorance was born. Now villains, even if they are only committing crimes to help their loved ones, are labeled as scum of the earth. Our goal does not only involve heroes, but the entire social structure of society itself!" He suddenly stops when his voice gets loud, silence filling the room. Quietly, he continues, "People think that only 'good' people care about family. But if they saw the bond that you and Toga had, they might think twice about their views on heroes."

"..." I don't reply. Instead, I look down at the counter, thinking.

"I won't give up on bringing back Toga. Still, it'll have to be on another day." He stops again, and when a few minutes pass, I think that he was gone this time.

But his voice rings through the communicator again, speaking gently. "Toga is family. And families don't give up on each other."

"Sensei…."

 _You couldn't be more right._

 _It was a boring day._

 _There was nothing interesting on the news, our mission was still in planning, and I already played through all my games at least a billion times. All I could do was sit at the counter and count the number of bricks on the wall._

 _Thankfully, someone came in. The door was around a corner, so I didn't see who it was at first. I assumed that it was some random bozo who wanted to drink away their problems._

 _Instead, I was greeted by the sight of a school girl._

 _She had a sailor outfit, her hair tied in two buns. But what stood out more than anything was her face. Her expression was full of anger, the girl looking like she was in charge of everything._

 _She plopped herself down next to me and said, "Waiter. Get me a beer."_

" _I'm sorry, I'm not authorized to give out drinks to underaged-"_

" _Are you deaf? I said…." The girl gets up, staring directly at Kurogiri. "Get. Me. A. Beer."_

 _Kurogiri starts, "Listen, young ma'am-"_

" _Hang on," I interrupt. I was already bored out of my skull, and I didn't want to lose a potential time killer. "I'll make you a deal. If you beat me in an arm wrestling match, I'll buy you a beer."_

" _S-Shigaraki, that's-"_

" _It's not illegal if I'm the one buying beer, right? Besides, I'll even put on a handicap!" I move to a table and put my right arm up. "I'll only use four fingers."_

" _..." She looks at me, from my shoes to my face. Eventually, she says, "Don't cry like a wuss when you lose."_

 _(She's got spunk. I think I might actually enjoy this.)_

 _She sits down across from me and grabs my hand. (Even though my quirk makes me use four fingers more often than not, I was trained to adjust to the handicap. Using four fingers is as hard as taking a nap. Plus, I go through physical training. This girl lost before this even begun.)_

 _I count, "Three…. Two…. One…._

 _GO!"_

 _=========================================================================================================_

 _She made me buy her three beers, unapologetic each time. What made it even worse was that I couldn't complain since I was the who suggested it._

 _Frustrated, I started scratching my neck. It was a habit that I've had longer than I can remember. The girl seemed to notice, and mocked, "Awww, don't feel so bad. Tell you what! I'll have a rematch with you!" I glare at her, and almost say yes. But looking at her, I could tell that the outcome would be the same._

" _Shut up." I look away from her, feeling more irritated._

 _She laughs, and drinks the last of her beer. "Y'know, even though I drank three beers, I don't feel the slightest bit buzzed!"_

" _Oh really? Can you say the alphabet backwards?" I dared._

 _Smiling, she starts, "Z, y, x, w, v, u, t-"_

" _I'm sorry I asked."_

 _Blondie stops, but I'm now wishing that I was bored than being shown up by a brat. Still even though I bought her three beers, she asks again for another round._

 _I was about to snap when an idea struck me. I stood up and barked, "Listen you little brat, I ain't buying you anymore beer."_

" _Hey, you were the one who-"_

" _But," I interrupt, "If you beat me in a fight, I'll buy you top shelf alcohol."_

 _Kurogiri starts to protest, but she immediately stood up. "This must be my birthday if you're just gonna keep giving me free drinks."_

 _I smirk. "In this fight, we both get to use our quirks. It's a no hold-barred, and the only way one of us can win is by, '*ahem!*' Immobilizing the other person until they can't fight anymore."_

 _Or, as I'd like to put it, 'beat the ever-living crap out of the other person to the point of life and death.'_

 _She seemed to understand, and actually looked excited about it. We had to go to the bunker of this place, since heroes would get a report of a fight if we did it outside. Still, it was spacious enough, and we were supervised by Kurogiri._

 _My hands twitched as I made eye contact with the girl. She had the same twitch in her eyes as I did. (She's either a villain, or a psycho. Not sure which one I'd prefer.) The girl pulls out a butterfly knife from her pocket, then gets into a stance._

" _Just so you know, kid, I'm better at fighting with all my fingers."_

 _Blondie spouts back, "You'll be lucky to even have all five fingers when I'm done with you."_

 _I smiled, and she returns it with her own sadistic look. I carefully grab a penny from my wallet and place it on my thumb. "Let's start this the old-fashioned way. Ready?"_

" _I'm ready to live tonight up, if that's what you're asking."_

 _She was ready._

 _I flip the coin up, my muscles now tensing. We both await the sound of the coin hitting the ground….._

 _Only for Kurogiri to catch the coin._

 _I give him a sinister look. "I thought you said you'd supervise us."_

" _I was going to, but it seems our schedule has had a significant change. We need to meet now."_

" _What?!" Of course. Right when I was going to have some fun, fate decided to mess with me. Still, I knew that sensei was expecting us. Sighing, I say, "Sorry kid. It looks like our little bout is going to have to wait for another time."_

" _Really? You're not just chickening out, are you?"_

 _My tick kicks in, and I start to scratch my neck. "As much as I would love to strangle you to death, I actually have business to attend. Beat it brat."_

" _Hmph." She puts away her knife. "I guess I got some good beer already, so I'll forgive this little intervention."_

 _I was annoyed, but didn't stop her from walking past me. However, before she left, she called out, "But we're still going to have this match. I want that alcohol."_

 _I deadpan. "Do you really want to get knocked up that bad?"_

 _She looks over her shoulders and shrugs. "What else am I going to do? Stay in school and become a hero?"_

 _Her comment surprises me. (She doesn't care about school or society at all, does she? What a brat…..)_

" _I don't have any work Thursday."_

 _The girl smiles. "Then it looks like I'll have a day off from school Thursday!"_


	7. One step back, two steps forward

**I have some news that I need to share real quick.**

 **First, I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I had finals, and had to focus on school. From here on, I'll be able to focus on writing more often. Also, I made a typo on my last message. I meant to say I'd upload every 10 days, or in other words, every week and a half. It should be enough time for me to upload but also relax. Lastly, I'm going to try some new projects, so this story won't be updated as much as I planned to, and this chapter is going to be more short than usual. However, I'm going to upload two new stories today. I hope that my new stories will be exciting for you guys. For now, enjoy this next chapter!**

Chapter 5: One step back, two steps forward

===(Shigaraki)===

Today reminded me of when Toga and I first met: Me sitting at the counter of the bar, bored out of my skull. There was still three days left before the students would go on their little training trip, and I wasn't in the mood to play any video games. All I could think about was Toga.

 _Where did I go wrong….? She always loved to fight, but her face was full of spite the entire time._

Still thinking, I go to my bedroom. It had a tv, the latest game systems and video games in a neat pile next to it. _Few people know that I actually buy these things to help developers make more games. From money I steal, of course._

Looking at this room, I remember the times Toga used to hang out here. _She refused to play any games that weren't rated M. She was also the only one who could match me in fighting games._ I chuckle when I remember the first time that I lost to her in a fighting game. I was so pissed, and ended up dusting my controller. It was a nice memory nonetheless.

Taking a seat on my bed, I reach underneath and pull out a box. Inside it was pictures and other memos of what we did. However, I ignore all of it and pull out my most prized possession:

A golden-colored bracelet, engraved with the name of myself and Toga. I don't put it on. Instead I stare at it, thinking back to that fateful night…. The final night Toga and I hanged out as true friends….

I sigh and put the bracelet back in the box. I couldn't wear it again just yet. It brought back too many memories of her, and it always crushed me.

I walk back to the counter of the bar, still bored. For a while I sit there with my head resting on my arms when the tv says something that catches my interest.

"...As for other news, the notorious gang 'Dead Blood' has been at it again, robbing a jewelry store. Four members were caught, but the stolen goods are still at large. If you have any information that could lead to…."

 _Dead Blood, huh? I can't believe that her gang's still runnin. You'd think that heroes would be capable enough to capture small-time thugs…. Oh wait._

I chuckle at my joke. Thinking about it, though, made me remember something that Toga said. "Hey Kurogiri. I need to go somewhere."

He looks at me with his brow raised. Only people who knew him long enough would be able to tell, since his face is literally made out of mist. "Does it have to do with Toga?"

"Kinda." I point to the tv screen. "I got an idea, and I need to meet with their new boss."

===(Saiekie)===

I was still in school hanging out on my phone when I saw the news of the robbery. Seeing it made me grin to myself. _Another successful robbery._

For the rest of school I write in my private journal. In it was all the activities of Dead Blood. It also included how we distributed the goods that we steal, along with the names and numbers of all the members, including blackmail material. _If I ever go down, then Dead Blood comes down with me._

It was one of the many privileges of being the leader.

The teachers would never suspect me, the young innocent Saiekie, could ever be a part of Dead Blood, much less the brains of it all. Ever since I joined, I became a tragic tale: A young girl who wanted to become a hero and help the world, who was bullied in secret. Everyone ate it up. Now I could get away with anything that I wanted to, as long as I played the part. _I hate every second that I have to do it, but it can't be helped._

Soon, the bell signals that school's over. I'm the first one to leave, making my way to Dead Blood's hideout, which was actually my house. _It's a big but ordinary house. The teachers don't come to visit me, and it a bunch of high schoolers going to a house doesn't look suspicious. t's the perfect place!_

As I make my way there, however, I suddenly feel someone approaching me. I spin around to see if it was a student coming to talk to me, but instead see some creep with a hoodie. _Is he from another gang? Or is he just some random bystander?_ With caution, I say to him, "Are you looking at me?"

He doesn't seem to hear me, or he just doesn't care. Instead he says to me, "Saiekie Higashi…. So you're the brat who's leading Dead Blood, huh?"

I flinch at his response. _He knows who I am! How- No, I don't need to know how yet. He can blackmail me with this information to the heroes. But, I could call the authorities and tell them that a creepy man was following me home. They would probably take my word over his. Yeah, that could-_

"And don't bother calling the authorities. You still have your journal on you, it'd be suicide." He sighs. "This is why I hate greenies. You're so predictable."

At this point I'm panicking. There wasn't a soul on earth that knew about my journal, which meant he must've been watching me for a while. He was right that I can't call for the authorities right now with my journal still on me. However, if the police and heroes weren't here to arrest me right now, that means he needed me for something. "Who're you, and what do you want with me?"

The mysterious person grins. "I ain't telling you. At least, if you're not interested in my bargain."

"A bargain?" I ask curiously.

"I've seen your little band of brats steal a lot of things, but more than that, I've seen that you guys can hurt. So if you're interested, I can hook you up to the League of Villains."

"League of Villains? What, is that supposed to be an anti-hero cult?"

He thinks for a few moments before saying, "I prefer to call it a 'Hero Execution Squad.' If you're interested, you can join us on our big plan."

"And what, pray tell, is that plan?"

The guy wags his fingers. "Ah-ah-ah. You're asking too much. However, if you say yes, then we can hook you up with whatever you want. Money, drugs, goods…." He pauses, drawing out the end of his sentence. "Quirks."

The last part catches my attention. "Quirks….? You can transfer quirks to people?"

He shrugs. "Maybe, maybe not. But I'm gonna need your answer now. I'm a busy guy, y'know."

It didn't seem like he was joking about anything. _I've never done anything more than robbery…. Does the reward outweigh the risk?_

After a few moments of thinking, I nod and say, "Tell me more."


	8. Chapter 6: Bonds

**This isn't a major notice, but as I looked back on my chapters on for this story, I saw that whenever a flashback happened it didn't upload what I'd normally use to signify that flashback. What I did was have equal signs, ===== , across the screen, but since it didn't, it looks really weird. So from now on, all flashback scenes will be in this, [ ] , and all time skips will be signified by this, /\\\\\\\\\\. I'm sorry for not fixing this problem until now.**

===(Toga)===

In homeroom, Aizawa surprises us with the announcement of rescue training. Everyone got excited and pumped up, like a sports fan going to watch the playoff game. On the bus it seemed as if no one could sit still. I was grinning the whole time, eager to start as well.

When we finally got to the facility, I leap out of the bus, ready to start rescuing! ….At least, until Aizawa restrained me for 'behavior misconduct.' "Ugh, geez. You're always tense Aizawa-sensei. Can't you just relax a bit?"

He ignores me and leads us into the facility. Inside of the building was different sections, each looking like a different rescue scenario. As the pro hero Thirteen soon told us, it was in fact different rescue scenarios. Everyone looked at them with anticipation, looking ready to tackle these challenges.

Looking over it, though, I saw one of a broken building. Seeing it reminded me of…. Of….

I start to sway, my stomach feeling sick and my head throbbing. Aizawa notices this and holds me so that I wouldn't fall over. "Hey, are you alright Toga?"

"Ngh…. Y-yeah, I'm fine…."

He didn't look convinced. "Toga, you are in no condition to save anyone right now. You need to-"

As he talks, I suddenly feel a hand grab and pull me. I fall onto my butt, which makes me a bit angry. _Was it Bakugou? I bet it was Bakugou!_ I stand up to give him a piece of my mind but stand speechless when I see who it was. Well, _them,_ I should say.

The gentleman villain Kurogiri with the insane child-like teen.

"Shigaraki."

Kurogiri disappears in a split second, leaving me and Shigaraki alone. Looking around, I saw that I was in their bar/hideout. Seeing this brought back a lot of memories…. _No, focus on the task at hand Toga. You can reminisce later._ I turn my gaze towards Shigaraki and say, "I knew that the league would show up soon. Guess I should've figured that you guys would pop up on our field trip."

He starts, "Look, Toga-"

"No," I interrupt, "I won't. I don't care what you have to say Shigaraki, we're not friends."

He winces at that. "I know that our last meeting didn't go off that well, but I'm not here to fight you! I just want to talk!"

"Yeah, well too bad. Even if you are telling the truth, I know that the league of villains are probably- No, DEFINITELY attacking Yueei, and talking to you is wasting my time!"

I turn around to leave when Shigaraki calls out, "The door is chained up. Sorry, but you can't leave just yet."

 _I should've saw that coming._ Groaning in frusteration, I walk to one of the booths and sit in it. _You can't talk sense into a child._ "Hurry up and talk Shigaraki. The sooner you're done, the sooner I can leave."

He tries to hide a smile as he sits across from me. "So…. Toga…. It's been a whole year since we've talked. Well, excluding when we met last week-"

"I don't have time for your childish gimmicks!" I say as I stand straight up and slam my hands against the table. "Stop trying to keep me here because this isn't where I want to be!"

"...!" He shuts up for a few moments and moves his gaze away from me, looking embarrassed. "...I'm sorry. I know that you think less of me now that you're a….. *Cough!* Now that you're a _hero._ " The way he venomously talked about heroes didn't slip past me. "But that's not what I'm concerned about. You know that me and sensei never saw you any different when you refused to be part of the league."

I couldn't argue with that. For a mastermind villain, Shigaraki's Sensei never came off as rude or as a brute. "What I'm trying to say, Toga, is that…. Well…. You're still my best friend. Even if you hate me, I'm still not going to stop caring about you."

"!"

His words makes me speechless. There was only a few times that I saw Shigaraki this serious, and I had to admit, his words did touch me.

However….

"Shigaraki…. I'm sorry. I really am. I know that I mean a lot to you, but…. It can't be that way anymore."

"Why? I don't get it, why?! Is it because I'm a villain?" His voice grew louder and impatient.

I respond with just as much gusto, "No, that's not just it!"

He gets up and shouts, "Then tell me why you can't be friends with me anymore!"

"Because….!" I stop. I tried to finish my sentence, but no words come out. It then dawned on me the reason why I try to push Shigaraki out of my life. It was because I…. I….

"...I'm sorry, Shigaraki."

"What?" He tries to get me to say more, but my mouth was clamped shut. It pisses Shigaraki off, but after a few minutes of silence he sighs. "Whatever…. I said what I needed to. If you need some space away from me, fine. You're probably used to it anyways."

His words hurt me more than it should have. Even so, my mind wanders to the attack on Yueei. "Are you just going to take me back?"

Shigaraki doesn't answer my question. Instead he says, "I still have what you gave me that night."

 _That night…. Wait. He doesn't mean…._ I look at his wrists and saw it: A golden bracelet wrapped around his wrist. Looking at it made me feel guilty. "Shigaraki-"

I get cut off by the beeping of a phone. Shigaraki pulls out a probably-stolen phone from his pocket and gunts. "It looks like your wish came sooner than I was expecting."

At first I was confused by what he was talking about, but then get my answer when Kurogiri's portal appears in the room. Kurogiri comes out of the portal and looks us. "Toga, it's time for you to go."

"You're just going to let me go? What makes you think that I won't tell the teachers-"

"Don't bluff," Shigaraki lazily says. "If you really believed your threat, you would've done it the moment you abandoned us."

Again, his words pull on my heart. I couldn't blame him, since I was the one who hurt him first.

As I got up to leave, Kurogiri says to me, "Even if this time here wasn't pleasant for you, know that it was nice to see you again."

 _Great, now Kurogiri is making me feel like crap._ I decide to leave before their words start messing with my head.

However, it seemed that it wasn't going to end like that. Shigaraki calls out to me one last time before I step through the portal. "Toga. Know that even if you don't intend to keep your promise, I will."

"!"

His words send a shock through my body. My chest was wounded up tight, as if I was a flower being strangled by weeds. At that moment, I felt regret.

I didn't even notice my arm moving towards Shigaraki. However, I was pulled into the portal by someone before I could even tell what I was doing. Back to Yuuei. Back to safety. Back to my friends.

I start crying.

I was crying because I knew the answer to Shigaraki's question, but I never gave him my answer. His question of why I wanted to push him away. The answer was that I didn't want to push him away. That I never stopped caring for him.

That I still considered him my friend.

[Shigaraki]

 _It was storming outside. Lightning licked the skies, complemented with rain flooding the streets. Luckily I had a bedroom inside a sturdy bar, so I was safe and sound._

 _I didn't know that Toga wouldn't be._

 _She came in with the spare key that was hidden in an alley. At first I thought that something had destroyed her house, but she told me that she needed to talk. Toga sat on my bed for a while in silent before she did so, however._

 _When she finally did, she said in a quiet and shaky voice, "Shigaraki. Everybody changes, right? In some way or another?"_

 _I didn't know what she was getting at, so I said carefully, "Yeeeesssss…. What about it?"_

 _Toga pauses for a few moments before answering me. "I…. I've been changing. In ways that I didn't expect. And it's scaring me."_

" _Why? I mean, as you said, everyone changes in one way or another. What's so bad about your changes?"_

 _She looks at me, her eyes still red with her face wet with tears. "Because I don't know who I am anymore."_

 _Her response made my brain stop. The way she said it made me feel like she didn't want to live anymore. (No…. No, you're overthinking things Shigaraki.) Telling myself that didn't make me feel any better, so I ask for confirmation, "Explain it to me."_

 _Toga looks down towards her hands. "For most of my life I've lived without caring about consequences, or caring about how others felt. Everyone dies eventually, so why should I waste my time on others?"_

 _Her logic made some sense to me. Heck, I thought the same way too more often than some might believe. "But…." She continues, "Things have happened to me that's made me question about that mentality. But if I don't have that mentality, then….. Then…." She screams to me, "Then who am I?!" Toga then puts her face into her hands and starts to cry._

 _Seeing her cry like this was one of the worst pains I have ever experienced in my life._

 _Through her sobs Toga says, "If I'm not 'Toga'... Then I'm all alone again…. I-I don't want to go back to those days again…. Never again…."_

" _T-Toga…." (She had a horrible childhood…. That's why I hate it when heroes condemn villains. These 'villains' are people who have been mistreated by the people that claim to be 'good.' It's just an excuse to justify themselves. Those kinds of people deserve the pain that the League will deliver to them.) I was never one to be serious, but I knew that I had to be better than what I normally was. "Toga, look at me." I wait for her to do so. When her attention was on me, I talk, making sure that each word was well-thought-out before spoken._

" _I've never said this out loud before, though you probably know that I've thought about it. Still, I'll say it: You're my friend, Toga. No, more than that, you're family to me. Not a day goes by when I don't think of hanging out with you and doing stupid things together. Nothing's more important to me than you…. Not even the League of Villains. I'd drop everything in my life to help you if it ever came to that."_

 _She gasps at me with a shocked expression. "S-Shigaraki…."_

 _I say slowly, "Toga. It doesn't matter to me who you are. No matter who you decide to become, I'll always be your friend.'_

" _Do you…." She stops for a moment, but speaks up again. "Do you promise that?"_

 _Without hesitation, I sign a cross over my heart with my finger. "I swear on my life."_

 _Toga doesn't say anything at first. She was crying again, but instead of looking pained, she looked relieved. In a split second she hugs me, wailing into my chest. I let her, the noise of the thunderstorm forgotten. All I could focus on was Toga._

 _After a few minutes, she pulls away from me and reaches into her pocket. "I know you'll keep your promise, but…. D-do you have that golden bracelet that I bought you? The one from your last birthday?"_

 _I chuckle. "How could I forget? You shouted at me that the reason you bought me that thing was so that it wouldn't get destroyed by my fingers." (So I accidentally dusted one of her teddy bears. That's no reason to hold it against me for almost a freaking year now!)_

 _She replies sarcastically, "And look at how good of a job you're doing about that."_

… _.._

 _We burst out laughing, as if everything was normal. That's what I thought for a moment anyway. However, the sight of Toga reminds me that things weren't normal. That things were changing…._

 _I shake away those thoughts and grab what Toga asked for. When I give it to her, she pulls out her butterfly knife. I didn't ask her what she was going to do with it, instead trusting that whatever she had in mind would comfort her._

 _She starts carving, and for a while I could only guess what she was making. After a few engravings, though, I knew exactly what the words she was carving said:_

' _Toga x Shigaraki. Friends Forever.'_

 _She looked proud when she was finished. As she handed me that bracelet back, I remembered when I first met her. I didn't think things would ever lead us to become friends, but hey, life was full of surprises. All I could be certain about is that I was glad to be her friend._

 _However, since it was still storming, Toga decided to stay over. I didn't have any spare mattresses or blankets, so she kicked me out of my room, forcing me to sleep in one of the booths at the bar._

 _I started to question whether I should destroy the bracelet or not._


	9. Intermission 2: Heart to Heart

**Hello again, and Happy New Year! I have a lot I need to address, so I'll cut right to the chase.**

 **First, my goals. I'll keep this part brief and simple: I started school, which sucks since I got three weeks of vacation, and on top of that I got sick. However, even with these obstacles, I'm not happy that I haven't been as true to my word of uploading every 10 days as I would like. I felt as if I haven't been keeping up to your expectations, and I apologize for that. It's going to take major effort from me to be able to fully commit to a schedule, not to mention some time, but I PROMISE you that I'll figure it out. For now, I'll set a safe goal of uploading at least every two weeks. I hope you understand this.**

 **Next, I'd like to ask about my stories. I love writing A Soft-Stone heart, and I have some other projects that I'm currently brainstorming. (Currently I have 1 other running story up, which is a fanfiction for Rhythm Thief.) However, what I'd like to ask you concerns with what YOU want to see: Do you want me to focus solely on this story and a bit of my other one, or would you rather I try branching out with different stories? I'm asking so that I can plan a schedule for the next few weeks. Leave comments on this chapter so that I can plan! Fe** **el free to be as honest as you like with your comments. I do appreciate criticism, and it helps me write my stories better.** **(Also, if anybody knows how I can put intermission/update chapters out without having to rely on one story, I'd really appreciate it if you let me know how to do so.)**

 **Lastly, I want to thank you all for reading my stories. I feel like I'm on top of the world when I see people telling me that they can't wait for the next chapter. I also feel really appreciated when people care enough about my stories to leave comments on them, whether it be good or bad. It's pretty much all I want from being a writer: Making other people happy with my stories. I hope I'll be good enough for you all. *v***

 **With all that said, I bid you adieu, and a good day!**


	10. Chapter 7: Who I really am

**Swearing is a part of some character's personalities, but I personally don't approve of vulgar language, so it'll all be censored out.**

===(Saiekie)===

I knew that no one suspected me of anything, but I still took the alleys to avoid detection. It took a bit longer, and I had to sneak around some heroes and cops. Still, I manage to get to the location on time.

The address took me to a bar that looked too run down to still be standing, so I was surprised to see that the interior look comfortable. The wood was in good condition and the leather on the chairs looked well groomed. _I would rather hang myself than tell Shigaraki that, though. Speaking of that scumbag…._

Shigaraki was sitting at the counter with a bottle of alcohol that was a quarter-empty, accompanied by Kurogiri who appeared to be the bartender.

I walk up to the annoying villain and toss the files that I brought with me onto the counter. "These are all the files we managed to get."

Kurogiri asks, "What exactly did you retrieve?"

I say nonchalantly, "Nothing much, just the entire schedule of Yuuei's school activities."

Shigaraki didn't so much as glance at it. "You weren't kidding when you said nothing much. What's the point of this? This is, like, choosing a bronze sword over a brave sword!"

I let out an exasperated sigh. "I knew you wouldn't get it."

He cocks his head at me and gives me the stink eye. "What was that?"

I try my best not to smile at his poutiness. "Yuuei doesn't slack off when it comes to security. It's so airtight that you couldn't get past it without being noticed. Plus, who's to say that their security detail doesn't change next week, or even tomorrow? It's unpredictable and risky. Their school schedule, however, isn't going to change as long as they feel that the students there are safe."

Kurogiri looked impressed by my reasoning. Shigaraki, on the other hand, looked away in disgust. _Me, 1; Annoying brat, 0._

"With this schedule, you'll be able to plan any attack you want, or another infiltration if that's your plan. Plus, this includes when teachers meet and what they're meeting about. It's a goldmine for getting information, if you can get a bug in there."

"Is that supposed to impress me?" Shigaraki folds his arm. "All you're giving us is 'ifs ifs ifs.' You haven't got a single thing that we can use _now_."

I rest my hands on my hips and glare at him. "Has anyone ever told you you're an impatient brat?"

His eyes narrow even more, and he grips the edge of the counter tightly. "You don't seem to know your place right now."

"Oh, I know _exactly_ my place right now. Right now I'm someone that you owe a debt too, and I'm here to collect the payment."

That sends him over the edge. He gets off his seat and lunges at me with his left hand outstretched. I don't bat an eye at him, knowing that I had full protection from him with Kurogiri around.

Right on cue, Kurogiri warps Shigaraki's arm to a harmless spot in the air. In a stern voice Kurogiri ridicules him, "Shigaraki, control yourself!"

"Grrr…. Don't think this is over, brat."

I don't reply, not wanting to waste my breath on him. As Shigaraki goes back to his seat, Kurogiri says, "I apologize for his outburst, but please mind your tongue."

I put up my hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay." _Someone in the league of villains has manners. Who woulda thought?_

"Anyways," he continues, "I believe that we can find good use with this information. You have kept up your end of the deal well enough, so now it's time for us to keep ours. What are your demands?"

"My demands…." When I first met with them, I said I'd tell them what I want when the gig was over, in case something went wrong. I've had time to think about what I wanted from them, and even though high quality quirks could be fun and beneficial…. "I want to be erased from society."

Kurogiri's eyebrows cocked while Shigaraki's hand twitched. "If that's what you wanted, all you had to do was ask."

"Ha ha, you're not funny." I turn to Kurogiri, the only one who seemed to have a brain. "I want you to make me look like different person."

Kurogiri asks, "That can't be just it. What else do you want?"

I grin. "I knew you were the smart one. You're right, I don't just want to look different. There's something that I want to do that requires both me right now, and my new identity…."

/ / / / \ \ \ \

It's been a day since the infiltration on Yueei. Ever since I came back home from the bar, though, I've felt…. Weird. I couldn't place my finger on it, but I decided not to care. I was busy enough as it was, and I really didn't need to get stressed over things that I didn't need to worry about.

Kurogiri agreed to change my identity, but they had to prepare it, so I had to wait for a few days. I accepted it. A few days wouldn't kill me, so I decided to just go through the motions of each day. It was hard to not get excited though. _Soon my plan will finally happen. And when it does, I'll finally be free from Toga's grip._

After school I go to our meeting spot with Dead Blood to discuss how we'll distribute the stolen money. It didn't take too long, and after about an hour of talking it was all settled. For some reason though, I felt like there was something more to this meeting. _What is this weird feeling? Why do I feel like something's about to happen?_

I try to dismiss it again when the doorbell suddenly rang.

This should've surprised me. I should've been concerned and worried about someone visiting me during a meeting. Instead, I felt relieved about it. Casually I tell one of my lackeys to go answer it. When they do, I hear a female voice say from the door, "Hi, I'm here to talk to Saiekie. Is she here?"

Everybody around me starts whispering, wondering who this girl was. I was intrigued by this person for some odd reason, so I get up from the table and walk towards the door to talk to her.

As I guessed, it was a girl. She had jet-black hair that covered her eyes, and was a bit smaller than me. My first thought of her was that she looked emo, though there was something else about her. Something that I wasn't quite seeing yet…. I ask her the most obvious question at the moment. "Who are you?"

She giggled and replied, "Someone interested in taking over Dead Blood. And don't try to deny that you're the leader. I've done my homework, and I know how you work."

"...Do you now? And do you know of what happens in a battle over leadership?" I didn't know why I was fully admitting that my group was in fact Dead Blood. In fact, it was so sloppy that I began to question if this girl's quirk was to make people charmed by her. If that was the case, then I might accidentally say something about my secret notebook. _I'd better be on my guard when I talk to her._

Nonchalantly the girl answers, "Why yes, I do. We fight one another until one opponent is no longer able to move nor speak. Though in this case, it usually ends up one of us maiming the other to the point of hospitalization…. Or even death."

I nod. "Yeah, that's how it goes. I would ask you if you're really prepared for that, but considering you know that we're Dead Blood, you're not really going anywhere."

Her smile didn't disappear. "I know. I'm fully prepared for this, though I can't say the same for you."

My brow lifts by a few inches. "Is that so? Well then, since you're so confident, let's get started."

"Agreed."

Still somehow charmed by her, I take the group with me to a secluded alley. None of the members were allowed to interfere, and they were all under agreement that they would respect and follow whoever won this bout. Of course, I didn't plan to lose. _She sounds pretty confident about beating me. Though I'm going to like to see her try, I don't know what her quirk is, along with her combat skills. I'll have to be on guard against her._

I pull out my special weapon from my bag that I took with me: A shield that had the shape of your typical medieval shield from back in the crusades, which was colored dark blue. I was saving up to buy one of those high-tech shields that have different functions in them, but in the meantime my shield has gotten me through a lot of scraps. I used it as a regular shield, but I also fought with it as if it were a glove, slamming it into my opponent's face and body. The tips of it could also scratch them and puncture their skin. So far it hasn't let me down, and I didn't plan for it to do so now.

When I was all psyched up and ready, I turn and face the girl. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me your name? I want to hear you say it while you still have a tongue in your mouth."

The girl grins slyly and responds, "You already know my name."

"I do?" I looked at her closely, but I didn't remember anyone who looked or sounded like her.

"Yes, you do. All you have to do is jog your memory."

"My…. Memory…." For some reason, my head starts to throb. _Is this girl the reason I've been feeling weird all day?_ It probably was, but I couldn't be sure. _That question can wait for later. Just focus on the fight._ "Well if you're ready, then let's begin."

She nods, then reaches into her pocket and pulls out a yen-coin. "When this hits the ground, we start. Sound good?"

I ease into a fighting stance, where my right arm that was holding the shield laid in the midsection of my torso, and raised my left arm to protect my face. "Sure."

The girl doesn't flip it at first. Anticipation builds in my chest as I wait for her to toss the freaking coin.

Then, all of a sudden, the coin goes up in the air and crashes into the ground.

The girl smiled, then ran towards me. When she was a few feet away from me, she jumped onto one of the walls and pushes herself off it. _She's going to kick me!_ I quickly move my shield upwards to block it, but it turns out that she had a different idea in mind. Instead of kicking me, she landed on the ground and grabbed my ankles. With a strong tug, she sweeps me off my feet, sending me painfully to the ground.

Before I could retaliate, she crawls on top of me and pins down my wrists. She was stronger than she looked, and I found it hard to push her back.

The girl took the initiative and started bashing her head into mine. It felt as if her skull was as thick as a truck. My head felt like it was about to crack open, and for a few moments I was too stunned to do anything. Then, as she kept headbutting me, I focused on the pain. _It hurts…. It hurts…._

 _ **IT REALLY ******* HURTS!**_

I clenched my teeth as if they were steel compressors and kick the girl's hip with as much force as I could muster. It knocks her over, allowing me to roll away from her and get some distance. My head was still throbbing in pain, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

As I stand up, she runs at me again. This time I ignore defending myself and also charge at her. Of course, it would've been more strategic to be on the defense rather than the offense, but I didn't care. I was mad, and right now I wanted to hurt her.

Once she gets close enough for my arms to meet her, I start throwing punches, trying to scratch her with my shield. However, for each punch I throw out, she somehow meets it with her own. It was a perfect punch too, hitting it so perfectly that the tips of the shield didn't graze her arm. Soon we're in a game of bloody knuckles, neither one of us willing to back out. _Her punches are freakishly strong! I'm not sure how long I can keep this up…. I need an opening!_

My eyes were peeled for an opportunity to take her by surprise, but every attempt I made to get the jump on her, she'd perfectly dodge or block it. It might've been because of her quirk, but that wasn't the main issue at the moment. I was worrying that I would run out of steam first. _My knuckles ache like crazy, and my stamina is running out. If I'm gonna stay in this, I'll have to inflict some major damage on her._ The problem was, it seemed that she didn't care if she got hurt. Her expression was as solid as stone, and her eyes were fiercer than fire. For all I knew my punches were just tickling her. __

"Hey, Saiekie. If you could change your name, what would it be?"

"Huh?"

Her question was so out of the blue that it made me lose focus for a second. And in that second, she closed the distance between us with a few strides and stabbed me in the stomach with a small knife.

I scream in pain, but she quickly puts her hand over my mouth, making my cries muffled. The gang looked at in shock at the fight, but they did nothing to stop it. _How could I have been so stupid and think that she didn't have a weapon on her?!_ I was kicking myself for that miscalculation, but it seemed that I wouldn't be blaming myself for it long.

"Hey hey, pay attention! You only have a few minutes left of life, after all." She leans in close to my face and whispers, "Since you're a bit slow to answer, mind if I tell you mine?" With a smug grin, she waits for me to answer. I wish that her hand was off my mouth so I could spit blood at her.

After a few moments she answers her own question. "It'd be Chashi Hameotoru."

 _Chashi…. Hameotoru?_

My head suddenly throbbed again. _That name…. I know that name…._

The girl, Chashi, smiles with glee. "You remember me now? That's good! For a moment I thought you'd die without figuring it out, which would've been sad."

 _I…. Remember…. The League of Villains gave me what I wanted that day…. What I wanted was to stage my own death. There was…. A person who could duplicate me. They then drugged me, and led me to think that I was the real Saiekie. I'm…. I'm just a clone. The sacrifice for my own plan…._

My face made the most biggest smile I had in years.

All the pain seemed to go away at that beautiful moment. _I did it…. I managed to achieve my dreams at last…._

I violently cough out blood, a reminder that my time alive was almost up. _N-not yet…. I need to tell her…. Me, one last thing._ It takes all my strength to mumble out, "C-Chashi…."

"Hm? Sorry, what was that?" She leaned her ear closer to my mouth, listening attentively to my last words.

"M…. Make Toga pay…. For what s-she's…. Done to us…."

Chashi smiled. "You can count on it."

"G-good…." My eyes start to close, and the pain starts to fade away. "See you…. In a bit…."

===(Chashi)===

Jin explained to me that when a copy of a person dies, their conscious returns to the original person. _I may have just maimed her to death, but I'm glad that she can still live on._

After she passes, I get up and look over my subordinantes. I already knew them all, but they didn't know me. The real me. I planned to keep it that way.

I say in a high and giddy voice, "Thank you all for quietly watching the fight! Now, I hope that you all uphold what little honor you have left and support me!" They all looked nervous and sick, but each one of them nodded their heads. "Good! Now then, if you wouldn't mind, could you all go back to whatever you were doing? I need to…. Do a few things here, hee hee!"

None of them looked keen on staying, and after a few seconds it was just me and Saiekie in the alley. _Huh. I was just pretending to be psycho so that they would leave me alone, but that was quicker than I was expecting._

I look at my dead body in thoughtfulness as I kneel down next to it. It felt weird to, in essence, 'kill myself.' For a few minutes I just look at my body and think of when I was Saiekie.

Not the Saiekie that joined Dead Blood, but the Saiekie that wanted to be a hero.

Back then, I hated seeing people suffer or get hurt. I'd do all that I could to help them, not ever asking anything in return. For a few years, people praised my selflessness, and encouraged me to become a hero. So did my parents.

As my parents surfaced in my brain, I start to cry. _Mom…. Dad…. I miss you so much…._

They may not have been as selfless as others, or as rich as others, but to me, they were the best parents that any girl could ask for. They loved me with all their heart, and always helped me out when they could. I thought of them as my personal heroes.

But they weren't employed heroes. My mom and dad both struggled to get a stable job, and each one they did manage to land in paid very low, making it hard to put food on the table. Of course, charity groups helped us with food and clothing, which is why my parents kept trying to live the straight and narrow, doing their best to give me the life that they thought I deserved.

In the end though, it just wasn't meant to be.

After getting laid off again, my parents looked for new jobs as usual. However, no one wanted to hire someone who hasn't been able to keep a job for more than six months. It seemed that every establishment was aware of their streak and kept turning them down for hire. At that point, I was getting ready to start my second year of middle school, and my parents were frantic trying to scrape enough money together to keep me at school.

Finally, they decided that they couldn't provide for me anymore by keeping their hands clean. Mom and dad told me that they had finally been employed at a job that provided more money than before. It made me so happy that I cried, relieved that they had finally gotten a good job. However, it turned out to be a lie. When they said that they were going to 'work,' they instead walked throughout town pickpocketing stranger. Heroes noticed that these incidents were happening frequently, and started to patrol more often.

Unfortunately for them, my parent's quirks were perfect for thievery, though they tried their best not to use it for criminal acts for so long. Dad's quirk was 'Halting Sensation,' which allowed him to nullify someone's sense of touch in a small area. He would use it to make someone oblivious to his hand rummaging through their pockets.

As for my mother…. Hers was 'Brainwash.'

It hurt her every time she used it. She told me that she felt like a true villain when she asked people to give her some money. It certainly explained why she would sometimes burst into tears at home. Dad didn't cry as much, but I was there a few times when he did. At first I thought that they were upset with their job, and I tried to tell them that I didn't need money to be happy. Those words hurt them as much as it made them happy.

One day, they decided to commit one last crime before getting trying to get another job. They planned to rob a convenience store, which had enough money for about two months, give or take. I still remember that fateful day when they pretended to go to another day of work. Before they left, they had a big breakfast with me. _I still remember their hugs…. Their big smiles when they told me that they loved me…._

After school, the police came to school and told me the news about my parents. My mother had tried to casually ask the cashier to put money in the bag along with their groceries. She should've chosen someone else to do the job. The cashier had a quirk called 'Erasure,' which he used to nullify each customer's quirk while he checked out their items to make sure that they wouldn't be robbed. The rest of the story is history now.

At first I didn't believe them. Then I thought that it was all a bad dream. Finally, I realized that this was reality, and that the police really were telling me that my parents had just attempted robbery.

[Saiekie - 13 years old]

 _I was hysterical, from when the police told me the news all the way to the station._

 _They allowed me to see my parents, but it would be through a telephone with a reinforced glass panel separating us. It was my father who first came to talk to me. His eyes were red, and he had the most saddest expression that I've ever seen. The officer behind me said, "You have five minutes," and allowed dad to pick up the telephone._

 _I grabbed mine so fast that it slipped through my hands. More carefully this time, I hold the phone next to my ear and talk. "D-dad, what's going on? These people keep saying you and mom-"_

" _Yes, I know sweetie. ….We did."_

 _I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe it. "No, no there has to be some sort of mistake. Y-you and mom must've been framed-"_

 _Dad starts to cry. Why was he crying? He had nothing to be sorry for._

" _Saiekie…. Me and mom haven't had a job for the past three months. We've been stealing wallets from other people. I know you don't believe it, but…. It's true."_

" _..." I couldn't form any words to respond. All I could do was sit there and listen to him while I cried._

" _We…. We were so worried that we were keeping you from being truly happy. But when we told you that we had a better job, you looked so happy. We couldn't just take that away from you. You deserved so much better than what we could have given you."_

 _I shake my head furiously. "No, that's not true. I was plenty happy to have you two love me every day! No amount of money could ever replace that!"_

 _Even though we were both crying, dad chuckled. "Yeah…. Me and your mother failed to see that. We shouldn't have done what we did. I'm sorry…. We've failed you." His words came out of sorrowful sobs and clenched teeth. He looked away from me in shame._

 _Again I repeated, "No, you're not failures! You're the best parents that I could have ever asked for! I love you both!"_

 _My dad looked at me again with a sad smile. "What have me and Jessica done to deserve you….?"_

 _Suddenly the officer behind him grabbed his shoulder and mumbled something that I couldn't hear. (What?! No, it couldn't have been five minutes already!) I turn around and beg the officer behind me to let me talk to my dad a little longer. Unfortunately for me, he stood his ground and said that I couldn't._

 _However, before dad was taken away, he said quickly into the phone, "I love you Saiekie! Become a hero and live your life happily, that's all we ever wanted-!"_

 _Then he was gone._

 _I felt as if the entire world was being destroyed. My mind couldn't comprehend anything, and for a moment I was afraid that I would go into shock._

 _Before I could burst into another fit of tears, the same officer that had escorted my dad came back in with my mom._

 _I almost didn't recognize her. She looked like the embodiment of misery, her hair being frazzled and her eyes being drenched in tears. But more than that, her face was ridden with guilt and despair. It was completely different from her usual happy and optimistic face._

 _Again, the cop behind me said we had five minutes. But instead trying to talk as much as we can, we sit in silence. I was too hysterical to speak, and my mom looked like she was a robot._

 _Finally, my mother said, "I'm sorry…. I'm so sorry that I couldn't be your hero."_

 _(No! You are my hero, you're the best hero ever!) I thought this, but I somehow couldn't say it to her._

 _She continues, "I deserve this punishment…. I just wish that you didn't have to go through this either. You're too much of a good person to receive any kind of pain."_

" _Mom…. I…."_

" _Saiekie. You were born to be a hero. I know that things right now seems hard, and to be honest…. I'm not sure if I can bear it…. But I know that you can, even if you don't think so. You're the most strongest person on the world, and your heart will heal the most broken of souls. If you can do this, then I'll try my best to endure this too."_

 _She didn't look less sad, but I saw her look at me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Hope that I would become a hero._

 _(She's been suffering for so long, and maybe the one who's suffered the most of us all. Yet here she is, trying to be strong for me... I…. I have to be strong for her too!)_

 _I wipe away my tears and try my best to make a smile. "Mom... I know what you did was a crime, but I still love you. You don't deserve to be in here."_

 _Mom's face lightens up at that. "Thank you. I wish things were different... But I know that in the end, everything will be alright. I love you, Saiekie."_

" _I love you too mom…."_

 _As I say that, the officer says that our time was up. It was just as heartbreaking as it was with dad, but it didn't feel as if we left anything unsaid. (Mom…. Somehow, someway, I'll find a way to get you and dad out of here!)_

(Present Time)

That day, I lost hope in heroes. Not all hope, but a lot of it.

Heroes that did their jobs for self-gain seemed to be…. Tainted, in my eyes. I thought of them as actors who're on a payroll. It probably was the truth for those who became a hero for that reason.

Still, I had a deep admiration for heroes. People who helped others without a second thought - people who put the needs of others before their own- THOSE were the heroes that inspired me to become just like them.

However, when Toga made up that bittersweet lie to the teacher, it made me remember the people who refused to give my parents jobs; The heroes that didn't offer any help. She unknowingly took advantage of that weakness and made my contempt grow. For a long time I held onto that hatred, letting it fuel my reason for staying in Dead Blood.

Being in Dead Blood didn't stop me from seeing my parents though. They kept cheering me on for my dream, and when I remembered time and time again that they stole to keep my dream alive, I couldn't bear the guilt anymore. I decided that I would quit Dead Blood and atone for my actions.

But the moment I joined Dead Blood, it was too late to back out.

Toga didn't want anyone snitching on the gang if they left, so if someone wanted out, she'd blackmail them to stay. I don't know how much information she had on us, but the look of terror on the member's faces was all I needed to see. I was stuck there with that _monster_ for months.

One day, though, she suddenly wanted to quit being the boss and go to a different high school rather than stay at the one we were attending. On top of that, I became the leader by default since I was her…. Her right-hand woman. _Just thinking that makes me wanna puke my guts out._

Toga also announced that she didn't care if anyone left the gang or not, since it wasn't any of her business anymore. She did say, however, that if someone snitched on her that she was a part of Dead Blood, then she'd make that person suffer a fate worse than death. It sounded like something she would do, and no one questioned its validity. Although I was angry that I couldn't make her face justice, I was relieved that not only she would be out of my life forever, but that I could finally leave the gang! Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. The problem was that if I were to leave or disband the gang, I wouldn't be certain if they'd tell the authorities or not about Dead Blood. If they did, they would definitely find out about me, and then I would never have the chance to become a hero.

I couldn't take that risk. With no other choice, I assumed the role as 'leader' of Dead Blood in order to keep an eye on the members. Being the leader wasn't much of a difference from being a member, just that I had to now manage our plannings and funds and stuff. Still, I felt as if my soul had become even dirtier now that I was leader. Of course, there were moments that made it seem like it was worthwhile, but every time that happened, I went to go visit my parents. They never doubted that I would become the next generation's number 1 hero. Even in prison, my parents still helped me stay on the right path.

Determined to live up to my ideals, I made a plan to get out of this gig for good: I'd get tabs on every single member, leave Dead Blood, make someone ELSE leader, and blackmail them to keep their mouths shut about me, hence my secret notebook. It wasn't the best plan, and especially wasn't the most admirable plan, but it was the only thing that could keep my secret safe.

Until now, that is.

Now I could bring down Dead Blood and become a hero at the drop of a hat. It would be so easy…. But I couldn't disband Dead Blood. Not yet. Even though changing my identity would allow me to disband Dead Blood once and for all, I couldn't live in my house anymore. Furthermore, the bank would refuse a girl claiming to be the same person as some other girl to let me into my account. Though it sickened me, I needed to use the money that Dead Blood had stolen to stay at a hotel for a while. It wouldn't be for long though. At most I needed one more heist. Dead Blood was highly wanted, and information alone that would lead to member's arrest would score me more than enough money to live off of. One more stain on my conscious before I could be set free and atone for my crimes.

However, there was one more flaw in that plan. I had become the leader of Dead Blood now, which meant I was sticking myself under the bus. Or so it would seem. There was one more trick up my sleeve that the rest of the gang wasn't expecting.

I already knew that the fight would take place in this alley, so a few hours ago I bought and hid a massive brief case which was big enough to stuff a person inside of inside a dumpster. Luckily it was still there, though it was radiating with a bad smell, which sucked since I was going to use it to plant the body when I disband Dead Blood.

Quickly stuffing my old body into it, I made my way to the hotel that I would be staying at for the next few months. I was panicking a bit, but fortunately people didn't think too much about it. Soon I was in my hotel room, safe.

I sigh in relief. There still things that I needed to do, but for now, I just wanted to sleep. _In fact, I think that's exactly what I'll do._

As I kick my shoes off and cannonball onto the bed, I think of Yuuei. Even though I wanted to be a hero, I had just committed a major crime by stealing information from their computers. It didn't matter how much anguish I had to go through growing up, people wouldn't ever consider me a hero if they knew that about me. I thought that was unfair. _Not everyone has an opportunity to do the right thing. If society really did care about people, they would give them these opportunities rather than take them away._ I believed in justice, but I also believed in second chances. I knew what I did was wrong, and I planned to own up to my crimes.

Still, I couldn't help but think of how there wasn't any heroes that came to the rescue when my family was starving, or when I was trying to graduate school but got held back since I had to spend all my free time working just so that I could afford food to eat. Didn't I deserve mercy? Didn't my parents deserve a life?

Then again, some parts of the past didn't matter. Soon I would become a hero that inspires others what a true hero should be. Soon, I would atone for my crimes and help take down the League of Villains. Soon I would make my parents proud and give them hope in their lives.

And it would all start by the destruction of Dead Blood.

My name is Chashi Hameotoru. I was a 16 year old girl who was going to be the next generation's number 1 hero.


	11. Chapter ?: A silent encouragement

**Hello reader! It's me again.**

 **For those who've been paying attention, I was a week late for an upload. I apologize, and will not make any excuses for my behavior.**

 **However, while I may have been late to upload, I've had the chance to come up with new ideas for stories. The con for this is that I'll update each story at different times instead of focusing on only one story. Still, I'm happy about my new projects, and I hope that you'll enjoy them. Let me know if you wanna see an upload for a specific story at any point. I may not always be able to do so, but I want to try my best to be flexible with the people who want to see the next chapter to a story they like. Thank you!**

 **-Sincerely,**

 **The Mormon And Otaku**

[Saiekie]

 _Ever since I joined Dead Blood, I was accompanied by guilt. It followed me everywhere I went, haunting me at every turn. I always tried to ignore it, and on good days I would be too occupied to focus on it. On bad days, though…. I broke down. I would cry for hours, ashamed of what I had become._

 _Today was one of those days. Near the end of school I was overcome with anguish, so much so that I had to run out of class early to avoid people seeing me cry. My feet took me into an alley in a crowded market in town. There I was free to cry, not that I felt any better._

 _(I hate myself.)_

 _I remember when I had finally hurt someone of my own accord. A student from another school took my bag, making me so angry that I didn't realize that I had punched him until I saw the blood on my fist._

 _(I'm a monster.)_

 _One time, Dead Blood got ahold of some seriously heavy alcohol, and I wounded up drinking more than I should. Every time I got sober enough to know that I should stop, the pain of reality came back to bite me. So I kept drinking. One of the other D.B. members wanted some of the alcohol that I was drinking. In my drunken state, I took it as an insult and smashed the bottle into their face._

 _We ended up in a fistfight. An ugly one. However, I was stronger than the other kid, which was evident when I eventually knocked the kid's lights out. After I had done so, I was perplexed on what had just happened. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and when I looked to see who it was, I saw Toga with a wide smile on her face. She then said to me, "Good job Saiekie."_

 _It was one of the worst experiences in my life._

 _(Why am I even trying?)_

I start to cry, the pressure and frustration becoming too much for me. I didn't care if anyone heard me, I just wanted to let out my bottled-up emotions.

 _What I didn't expect was an explosion in response._

 _My body jolted in surprise by the sudden eruption. It was loud enough for me to know that it was close by, and I saw smoke wavering through the air. Forgetting about my anguish, I walk out to the market to see what was going on. As I turned the corner, a man bumped into my shoulder as he ran for his life. In fact, everybody was running._

 _In the next second I knew why._

 _A sludge villain was smack dab in the middle of the street attacking what appeared to be a middle-school student. He was thrashing against the villain, trying hard to escape his grasp. In that moment, I was left with a choice: Risk my life to save his, or leave him to die. (W-well, it's obvious, right? I need to go save him. I'm not a villain….)_

My feet didn't move an inch.

 _(I'm not like Toga. We are completely different.)_

 _When my feet finally decided to move, my body went backwards, away from the kid._

 _(I'm…. I'm not a monster….)_

 _Suddenly, a kid ran right past me towards the villain. The events that played out surprised me. If anyone was going to take on the villain, the person must be pretty powerful. This kid was screaming in a panic, and it seemed that he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't seem to have a quirk that he could use here, and it seemed likely that he would die. Yet…. He didn't turn his back on the kid. He went headfirst into danger._

 _Onice the endangered kid could speak, he yelled angrily at his rescuer, "Deku?! What're you doing here?!" I was shocked to see him have a hateful attitude to him, especially when he risked his life to help him._

 _The green haired-boy sputtered, "I-I dunno! My legs just moved on their own!"_

 _(What….? He just moved unconsciously?) It perplexed me. I couldn't imagine going in to save someone with that sort of reason._

" _But…." The green-haired boy suddenly smiled and said, "You looked like you needed saving!"_

 _Those words shocked me. His words…. His actions…. For a moment, he was replaced by All Might himself! (...No, scratch that! That IS All Might!)_

Out of nowhere, All Might jumped in, saving the unnamed boy from an attack. He coughed, and said loud enough that I could overhear him, "I must apologize…. I lectured you about what it took to be a hero, but I didn't put it into practice!"

For a moment, I thought that my ears were damaged. All Might, criticizing himself of not being heroic?

" _Heroes…." He slammed his foot into the ground. "...Are always….."_

 _All Might reared his arm back, then shouted at the top of his lungs as blood poured out of his mouth, "RISKING THEIR LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS!"_

/ / / \ \ \

 _(I don't remember the last time I've ever felt this happy.)_

 _A few hours had passed since the slime incident, and the sun was even starting to set with a soft orange glow. Even so, the details of what happened were fresh in my mind. (All Might saved the day again…. But does he have days where he doesn't save everyone?) I take a moment to think about it. It was the first time that I had ever thought about that question._

 _All Might was the literal symbol of peace of the whole world. His quirk's power was without compare, and he was the most bravest man on the planet. It was impossible to see him incapable of anything. Yet when he said that he didn't always live as a hero should, it got me thinking about something. Everybody makes mistakes. Even All Might must've had his good share of blunders. If I was him and made a mistake, I would wanna give up. (But even with those mistakes, All Might still does his best as the number 1 hero. If he was in any way like me when I was a kid…. Then it isn't impossible for me to be a hero!)_

 _A smile forms on my face at the thought. It was the first time in a long time that I believed that I could be a hero. That I believed in myself. And it was all thanks to that green-haired boy who took a step forward._

 _(Oh yeah! I never got to say hi to him!) I consider looking for him, but I didn't have any idea of where he might be right now. (I hope I can meet him and say thanks. Maybe I should write him a card….)_

I go home that day feeling more refreshed than I ever had been.


	12. Intermission 3

**(Hopefully this will be my last intermission for this story, as one intermission is all I want to have in a story.)**

 **I want to say thank you to everybody who has been reading this story of mine, as well as some of my other stories I've uploaded. It really means a lot to me to see people enjoying the things I wrote, and I want to make my stories even better so that you can enjoy the story more. I recently figured out what the 'horizontal line' button does, so my story format will be a lot more smoother than my old story chapters.**

 **The main message that I have to say is that I'm sorry for not uploading for such a long time, but more importantly, I also want to let people know that I'm only human. There are other things besides fanfiction that I want to do and are a higher priority, so I can't make a promise of when my chapters will be uploaded because I don't know if I can keep it. Even so, I won't use that as an excuse to dilly-dally on my stories. When I work on my fanfiction, I will give each and every chapter my all, especially to the series close to my heart. So prepare yourself, because over the course of time, I will have even MORE stories that will keep you reading until the very last sentence.**

 **From the bottom of my heart, I thank you! Please enjoy the next chapter (*** `v` ***)!**


	13. Chapter 8: A friendship worth saving?

===(Bakugou)===

I grit my teeth in frustration as the teachers has everyone evacuate the dome. I was already pissed off that a bunch of two-bit villains invaded Yuuei, though it was fun to take them down. No, my anger came from that stupid nerd again.

 _ **Deku.**_

As much as it made me want to puke, I had to acknowledge one thing: Deku jumped out to protect All Might while I was standing around like flies looking at poop.

And that. Made. Me. ANGRY!

It seemed that I couldn't ever catch a break from him. Every time that I did something, he was there to take the spotlight for himself. It's been like this ever since the slime incident from last year, Deku showing off his quirk one event after another. I couldn't comprehend it. Everything I did, Deku did…

I didn't dare finish that thought.

 _No. This is all wrong._ _I_ _was the one who was supposed to be the top student in everything!_ _I_ _was the one who was supposed to save everyone, NOT DEKU!_

I clench my fists, tighter and tighter until it felt like my bones would snap. And then I clench them some more. _Mark my words Deku, you will only ever be a pebble in my path!_

I walk with the class outside, but my rage still burned with the intensity of my explosions.

 _I'll make sure of that._

===(Toga)===

The teachers informs me of what happened while I was gone. As far as they know, the villains had a person with a warping quirk to get into U.A. and attack the students to try to kill them. That was their theory, but what confused them was that all the villains were just thugs, not big-shot baddies. It confuses me too. I knew that the League had very powerful villains at their disposal, so they could've taken down two pro heroes if nothing else. Since they didn't do that, they most likely tampered with something from the school. The teachers and principal probably came to the same conclusion as well.

When the teachers asks me what happened to me when I was taken away, however, I answer them with half-truths. I tell them that I met some crazy kid with blue hair who said that he wanted to take down All Might, purposely leaving out the part where I befriended him more than a year and a half ago.

Seeing the teachers genuinely believe me made me feel like throwing up.

Aizawa, one of the most perceptive people I know, agreed that I was telling the truth. He kept trying to reassure me regarding these events, when in reality his words were crushing my spirit. A part of me whispers, _Look at me. A girl who lies to her teachers and is friends with the most dangerous villain alliance in all of history is trying to become a hero._ _ **What a laughingstock...**_

My footsteps were heavy and slow throughout the rest of the evacuation. I could barely think through all the guilt, and the others in the class had to be snap me out of my trance a few times. Before I realize it, the students were given permission to go home. I didn't feel like going to my barren house, however, so I instead walk to a park that was in my neighborhood. It was pretty small, but I didn't care at that moment. All I wanted was somewhere to sit and think.

I collapse onto a bench, feeling frustrated. I desperately want to be friends with Shigaraki because I know that he truly cares about me and he is a good friend that I can rely on, but I also want to be a hero with virtue and integrity who helps others. These two desires were like oil and water mixing, creating only disaster.

 _What do I do…?_

The frustration in my chest kept growing and growing until I felt like I was about to snap. I clench my fists as hard as I can in an attempt to keep myself under control. _What do I do…?_

At that point my head was buzzing so much that I start to cry. I felt like I was trapped in a cage with no way out and was slowly being suffocated. My chest kept squeezing tighter and tighter, and I really did find it hard to breathe.

 _WHAT DO I DO?!_

My crying soon becomes bawling, hot tears streaming down the sides of my cheeks. I press my hands against my face, feeling lower than I ever had before. _What do I do…? What do I do…? What do I do…?_ Over and over I repeat this to myself, wishing that I would receive an answer to my cries.

"Toga?"

My head snaps upward at the sound of my name. I look around to see who was calling out to me, and I see a familiar boy holding some grocery bags.

It was Izuku.

"I-Izuku!" I quickly wipe away my tears, although I doubt that he didn't notice it. "Wh… What're you doing here?"

"O-oh, I just live in this neighborhood is all. I was just at the convenience store picking up some food…" Izuku then looks me in the eyes with an expression of concern. "...But what about you?"

I look away from him, feeling too ashamed to meet his gaze. _Unlike me, he's an actual hero who doesn't pick sides. How can I just talk to him?_ I try desperately to get him to leave, not wanting to bother him with my problems. "I-I'm just feeling stressed from the attack today. I-I'll be, *Sniff!*, f-fine, so you should just go home…"

"..." I hear Izuku walk towards me. I also hear Izuku sit down right next to me on the bench. "Toga, you're crying all by yourself in a park bench. I can't just 'go home.'"

I expected Izuku to say something like that. I didn't expect, however, the relief that came with his gentle words.

I still didn't feel good enough about myself to look at Izuku, but I felt comfortable enough to talk with him now. So, with a cracked voice, I nervously say to Izuku, "I… I have a problem that... Well, that I just can't seem to fix. You see, I… I'm struggling with a relationship with a friend."

"What do you mean?"

I take some deep breaths to steady my voice. "The boy I'm having a fight with is… Is an old friend that I used to hang out with. He's pretty childish and brash, but he means the world to me. He was the first friend that I ever had, now that I think about it." My face suddenly twists in guilt at the memory of Shigaraki being hurt because of me. "He's always kind to me, even in our disagreements. No matter what happens between us he always has my back." I start to sob again as the words pour out of my mouth. "But even though he cares for me, I… I can't keep being friends with him. Not as long as I'm a hero."

"Why?" Izuku asks, sounding really confused. "If you both care for each other, why can't you be friends?"

"I... I can't say..." Even though I knew how dangerous the League of Villains was, I couldn't bring myself to tell the truth to anybody. My heart would shatter into pieces if I did.

For a while, we sit in silence. I start to feel even _more_ uncomfortable, and for a few moments, I think that Izuku was going to leave. To my surprise, Izuku breaks the awkward silence. "I'm not sure what the rift between you two may be, but… I don't think you being a hero is the problem."

"What?" I look at Izuku, too focused on what he meant to remember that I didn't want to look at him in the first place.

"Being a hero isn't just a profession. It's all about the heart." Izuku smiles, and his entire face brightens. "The word 'hero' is a title that brings hope to others that don't have hope. The word 'hero' is meant to say that you won't abandon anyone, no matter what the circumstances may be. If you're a hero, then that means you don't give up on your friendship when it gets complicated. You just work harder to make it work."

"Work harder to make it work…" His words start to turn gears in my head. _Shigaraki openly told me that he was a villain, yet our relationship didn't change. He promised me that he would always be my friend, no matter who I became, and he's been upholding his promise all this time. Does that mean… I can still be friends with him?_

I wasn't a hundred percent sure if it could work. I was determined to become a hero, and I knew that it would force me and Shigaraki to cross paths against each other. Maybe that's why I was so hesitant to continue our relationship: I was afraid of hurting him. I was also afraid that if I were to keep being friends with Shigaraki, then I wouldn't be truly living the way a hero should.

But when Izuku encouraged me to make my friendship with Shigaraki work, even though he didn't know that the friend I was referring to was a villain, I felt the weight on my heart start to lift. I could breathe easier, and everything looks a bit brighter.

For the first time after the attack at Yuuei, I smile, specifically at Izuku. "Izuku, you're really special something, you know that?"

He blushes a bit, and his tone goes back to his usual stuttering. "I-it's nothing, really, just… When I saw you crying here, I knew that I had to help you."

"...!" My heart suddenly skips a beat. I don't know why, but his words make my face feel fuzzy. Unconsciously I look away from Izuku, feeling embarrassed. _Whoa… What's going on with me?_

"Toga? Are you alright?"

"Huh? …Oh, y-yeah!" I realize that I was looking away from Izuku, and I quickly turn to face him. "Yeah, I'm good! Just… Just thinking about what you said is all."

"Ah, I-I see…"

The mood quickly becomes heavy again, but this time out of sheer embarrassment. The both of us were blushing, and neither of us could seem to look at each other in the eyes.

After a few moments of this, I realize how late it was getting. I quickly stand up, wanting to avoid being out in the neighborhood at night. "It's getting pretty late. We better get going before it gets dark."

Izuku's eyes widens at the realization. "Oh crap, you're right! I didn't even realize that the sun was setting!" He quickly gets off the bench as well and takes a minute to double-check his grocery bags.

For a few moments, I gaze in admiration towards Izuku. He was adorable and unintentionally funny, yet he was also serious and kind to those in need. I only knew him for a few days, but I already felt close enough to him to call Izuku a friend.

"...Hey, Izuku?"

"Huh? What is it Tog-"

I lunge forward and squeeze Izuku in a bear hug. It was something special to me. As a kid, I never received hugs, and I never had anyone to give a hug to. It wasn't until I met Shigaraki that I found someone that I cared enough for to hug.

Izuku had taken the time to give me comfort when he could've just walked home without my notice. A hug was the only way I could express how grateful I was for the relief he gave me.

But, after I take a glance at his face, I start to realize that that hugging him may not have been the best way to do that. Izuku's face was burning, and he was shaking so much that I felt like if I were to let go, he would topple over.

I let go of him, my face starting to turn a bit red also. "Oh, I'm sorry if that was too sudden Izuku! That's just how I like to say a big 'Thank You!' is all."

He stutters, "S… S-sure… Th-th-that's no p-pr-problem…"

I struggle to contain bursting out into laughter at Izuku's adorableness. _Even in his best moments, Izuku will still be Izuku._

I soon say goodbye to Izuku after he's convinced that I'll be alright and walk home, humming all the way there. Even when I brushed my teeth and curled up in bed the warm feeling of his kindness still lingered. I was beyond thankful to Izuku, and I felt determined to do even more to become a hero so that I could show Izuku the impact he had on me.

Still, as I close my eyes and try to fall asleep, I knew that there was another reason why I was still thinking about Izuku. A thought that I couldn't help but think about through the night...

...

...

...

...

...

 _I think I might be interested in him._


	14. Season 1 Finale: The Bright Days

===(Toga)===

* * *

 _1 Week Later_

* * *

I was already smiling at the start of the morning, but when I see Izuku walking on my route to school, my smile grows even wider. I quickly run up to him and shout, "Hey Izuku!"

He jumps in surprise, as well as blushes when I walk next to him. Even so, he smiles back and replies, "Hi Toga! Good morning!"

Seeing Izuku's adorableness makes me smile to the point where my cheeks start to hurt. Speaking of seeing Izuku, I enthusiastically ask him a question I had been _dying_ to ask him. "So are you excited?"

"Huh? Excited for what?"

"For the Yuuei sports festival of course!"

Yesterday during homeroom, Aizawa informed us that the sports festival would be coming up in a few weeks. I was so excited at the news that I actually forgot what the rest of the day was like! I love physical exercise, such as running and playing sports, and the Yuuei sports festival was all of that but _better_! "I'm so excited to be participating in this! I've always wanted to try out the cool things they do in the Yuuei's sports festival, and now that I am, I'm having trouble thinking about anything else besides this!"

Izuku's expression suddenly brightens like a child on Christmas day, and I could tell that he was just as enthusiastic as I was. "Yeah, I can definitely relate! I watch it every year with my mom, and knowing that I'll be a part of is pretty overwhelming."

"That's understandable," I say with a nod of agreement. "I never thought that I would actually be attending Yuuei before this, and sometimes I get the jitters knowing that I'll be seen by millions of people."

Izuku nervously laughs, making me think that he didn't realize that fact before now. "I'd be surprised if anyone was calm about this. This is one of the biggest opportunities to promote ourselves to a hero agency, so everybody's going to be shooting for the #1 spot to stand out to pro heroes."

"Yeah, competition's going to be pretty stiff. Still, the challenge will be fun!"

As we make our way to school, I bask in the warmth of the sun, complimented by the cool breeze against my face. My heart was soaring along with the clouds that floated in the sky. It felt so long since I walked with a friend and just talked. I didn't realize how lonely that was until now.

As I think about friends, I peek at Izuku's face more closely, which makes my own face start to feel warm. Izuku had a lot of good qualities that made my heart beat against my ribs. He was cute and adorable, but also brave and heroic. Plus, I considered him to be a close friend after he cheered me up last week when I was feeling miserable about myself. To be honest, I wouldn't mind trying go on a... On a _date_ with him.

Izuku notices me staring at him and asks, "Toga?"

"Yes?"

"W-were you going to ask me something? You're kind of just... looking at me.."

"Oh, sorry! I'm just…" I end up looking at Izuku's face more closely, and time seems to stop. My thoughts turn to mush, and I end up being lost in his eyes. All of this, while being very alien to me, made me smile. "...Living in the moment."

I wasn't quite comfortable yet about falling in love with him. The burdens of my past made me feel too insecure about going out with someone who was exactly like the people I bullied and hurt, not to mention the guilt of keeping the League of Villains a secret from everyone.

...Still...

In a perfect world where I could ask for anything, I would want to be holding Izuku's hand as we walk to school everyday.


	15. Season 1 Finale: The Black Nights

===(Chashi)===

* * *

 _Day of the Sports Festival_

* * *

Today was the big day I was going to take down Dead Blood. Coincidentally, it was also the day of the Yuuei Sports Festival, one of my most favorite events to watch.

I relax on the hotel's bed as the event starts. My plan was going to take place around late-afternoon, so I had enough time to watch all of the Sports Festival. Present Mic kicks it off, as usual, and the first event is announced. It was the obstacle course, which was a personal favorite of mine.

I watch the event take place in bliss. It was the first time in a long time I was able to just veg out and chill. The last month or so was nothing but planning and stress, so some downtime was exactly what I needed.

As the events go on, I see glimpses of a boy who seemed very familiar. The TV station kept switching cameras though, so I only saw him for moments at a time. However, as the Yuuei students were arriving into the final stage of the obstacle of the course, a giant explosion suddenly erupts! I flinch, wondering what just happened when I see someone flying towards the two kids in the lead.

The camera zooms closer and closer to the boy's face, and I finally get a good glimpse at him: It was the boy who was at the sludge incident!

I was completely baffled. From what I remember, the boy was scrawny who had tears in his eyes the whole time. Now… Now he doesn't even look remotely close to the same person. His face was filled with a determination that was like a hero staring down a villain, and I could tell that his body was much more fit than before.

I was suddenly filled with excitement, and I cheer for him throughout the rest of the obstacle course. He ends up taking first place, and Present Mic screams out the boy's name: Izuku Midoriya. I his name to heart, and silently hope that I can meet him myself.

Shortly after Izuku's victory, the other Yuuei students start to cross the finish line. Present Mic starts to list off the other students, and I try my best to remember all of them. _Man, there's so many students! I wonder how they-_

…

…

…

...

...

...

My mind suddenly goes blank. I blink my eyes again, hoping that I was just seeing things. _It can't be… There's no way…_ As my mind starts to have a breakdown, the camera zooms in on a girl's face. One who I recognize immediately.

My stomach suddenly twists in pain, and I feel vomit rising in my throat. I cover my mouth before I could puke all over the floor and quickly run to the bathroom to throw up in the toilet.

The TV wasn't any quieter, not to mention that it was Present Mic who was talking, so I hear clearly from the bathroom, "And in number 25, one of Class 1-A's stars who perfectly represents 'Girl Power,' TOGA HIMIKO!"

 _T-Toga…! Toga…!_

All of the memories I had of Toga being in Dead Blood runs through my mind, like a dying person seeing their life flash before their eyes. I throw up again, my throat burning with every passing second. As soon as I couldn't throw up any more, I quickly wash out my mouth with the tap water.

Though the TV was still blaring, I could only hear a high-pitch ringing in my ears. My body felt numb, and my vision became blurry. _No… This… This can't be real._

I reach up with my hand and pinch my cheeks. Nothing happened.

I pinch myself harder. Nothing happened.

As my mind starts to rationalize again, I internally scream to myself, _HOW IS TOGA A PART OF YUUEI?!_

I go back into the room and watch the TV some more. Toga was still standing there, smiling as if she had done nothing wrong. I couldn't comprehend it. No matter how I tried to think of how Toga could be in Yuuei, I couldn't believe it. _Yuuei is supposed to be a school where kids become pro heroes... How is Toga anything LIKE that?!_

I quickly turn off the TV before I break it with my fists. After that, I curl up on my bed, shivering more than a leaf in a tornado. _What... What do I do now?_

My plan to take down Dead Blood was to plant my clone's corpse somewhere that the police would find it. Inside of one of the pockets would be my diary that was filled to the brim with Dead Blood's activities, which would instantly disband the group. Of course, I would cross out the names of everybody inside it. While nobody in Dead Blood was my friend, they were all hurt by Toga like I was. They didn't deserve to be brought down for what Toga did.

However, there was now an unprecedented problem: If I were to go through with my plan, I would be attending Yuuei with _**Toga**_ , the girl who I hate more than anyone else and would gladly give a beating to. _What do I do...? I can't let Toga get away with her crimes, much less go to Yuuei with her! What do I do...?_

I start to cry. It wasn't fair.

 _What do I do?_

All my life I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to help others, to be a figure of hope. Even when I was bullied for my parent's arrest, I did my best to smile through it all. Toga, on the other hand...

 _What do I do...?_

Toga was worse than a villain: She was a monster. Everything that she did with Dead Blood... Ever crime... Every party... was on a whim. She didn't care who she hurt or who she got involved, as long as she would get a kick out of it. Her subordinates didn't even matter to her.

 _What do I do...?!_

Toga ripped me into pieces, and she enjoyed every single moment of it. She carved me into something that I was afraid of becoming: A criminal. It was a label that I hated. A label that Toga made everybody in Dead Blood put on, just to make us feel lower than dirt.

A label that caused my mom and dad to go through so much pain.

 _WHAT DO I DO?!_

I start to scream at the top of my lungs. I knew that it would disturb the other people in the neighboring rooms, and I knew it was very possible that I could get kicked out of the hotel, but I didn't care. Those people weren't here for me. Nobody was.

I was all alone. It didn't matter if I wanted to be a hero, or if I had good intentions, or if I worked hard to be nice to people who were mean to me. It didn't even matter if I was crying.

I was all alone.

My fists tighten in frustration. It wasn't that I couldn't come up with a plan to put Toga in jail. In fact, there wasn't a single person in Dead Blood who didn't have some kind of grudge with Toga. I was willing to bet that none of them would have a problem speaking against Toga for all that she did. It would be more than enough to put her in jail, and ensure that she could never hurt anybody that she brought into her gang ever again.

However, there was a problem with that plan: If any of us were going to give a testimony against Toga that would be considered legal, we would have to turn ourselves in. It may not be the worst thing in the world, but if I went to jail, I would _never_ get into Yuuei. Not only would I never get a chance to chase my dream, but I would never get the chance to try and get my parents a parole with the influence of a title of pro-hero.

I curse at myself. If knew that Toga was at Yuuei, I would've made a plan around me getting arrested. Now it would be pretty much impossible to indict Toga of her crimes without me winding up in jail with her. _Of course you would be at Yuuei Toga! Why wouldn't you be ruining my life at every chance you get?!_ I start to cry again, the sense of hopelessness overwhelming me. I could practically hear Toga laughing and mocking me. _What can I do? At this rate, I'll either be stuck in jail or at Yuuei with Toga! Either way, I'm screwed..._

 _...Wait a minute._

A thought came to mind. A very dangerous thought that could lead me walking down the same path that I worked so hard to get out of. _Come on, think Chashi! There HAS to be a better way of getting Toga arrested than that!_ I rack my brain for who-knows-how-long, trying to find a different solution to Toga's presence at Yuuei, but I could only come to one possible solution: Dead Blood.

My entire plan is based on either getting Dead Blood arrested, or having them speak against Toga _. ...But... If I keep the gang around for a bit longer-_

I slap myself at the thought. I scream at myself, "Come on, snap out of it! Are you really going to stoop as low as Toga?!"

Even as I tell myself this, I felt the temptation in every fiber of my body. It was suffocating, trying not to lose myself to the darkness that plagued me for so many years. No matter how much I told myself what choice was right, it didn't erase my resentment for Toga; My desire to get payback for what she did to me; My desire to hurther back for hurting me.

In the end, it came down to a choice I had to make: Do I let Toga stay at Yuuei, and live with a burning desire to get revenge on her for the rest of my life...

 _...Or do I use Dead Blood to bring her down, and risk the chance of staying as a criminal forever?_


End file.
